Nordic Nature – Spiral Trax

It is nothing short of a delight that Spiral Trax are back. One of my favourite labels from back in the day, with releases that still get an airing today, and the label’s return is, according to the press release, directly related to Gaudium’s album. The title track is a great intro to the rest of the album, with cracking production and a wonderfully laid-back approach to production that immediately smacks you about the face with the wet fish of realisation that the Swedes are masters at this sort of thing. Sleepwalker is a strong tune, with delicate layering and that sort of atmos-y growl in the background keeping the balance together. Muzzic has a more classic feel to it, very in keeping with a lot of the progressive sounds being punted by the likes of Iboga these days. The groove is tighter than a gnat’s chuff and the melodies are have this subtle-yet-epic quality, with some tasty acidlines over the top. The wonderfully-named Psycho White Chocolate Disco Deluxe has drumming that’s almost in X-Dream territory, with the causticness offset by moody scando stabs at the top. It unfolds like a gem this one, with a satisfying midrange riff giving it stability, funky and chunky noises at either side… yup, this is trance how it should be, and it knows it. Phunky People is one hell of a piece of work, with a sleazy groove that nods back to acidhouse, a desperately funky rhythm section, all combining to create a damn wonderful piece of music that has everything in the right place, and is as individual as it is shitkicking. Wunderschön takes things to a more minimal, breatheable level. The sounds have a lot of room to manoeuvre here and the upshot is a tasty, laidback sunshine groove that seems to rise out of nowhere. If you try and listen to it too carefully it sort of disappears – but ease back and there it is again. Very cool. Likewise Mojxo Depth, which comes out from nowhere but drops into a ripping housey riff, simple but damn, damn effective, and begs to be played on a loud system. Higher Zones closes the album with a staggeringly beautiful half-breaks number, every bit as deep as the rest of the music here, dropping into an orgasmic bit of morning progressive. It’s brilliant, in other words. Nordic Nature leaves you hanging for more, which fits well with either playing the damn thing over again, or follow me and head back into the spiral trax vault to listen to all that lovely old stuff again.