Tom Stephan - Nervous Nitelife

 

Those with a keen interest in tribal and progressive house will perhaps recognise Tom Stephan's pseudonym, Superchumbo, under which he was a stalwart of the scene. Like most people though, he got bored with the whole Global Underground thing, with its ten-minute tunes and overpaid DJs, and has forged a name for himself as a purveyor of the much trendier electro-house. Critiquing a mix CD is always difficult: unless the jockey is doing something wildly exciting with the tracks at hand (like Cut Chemist, Optimo or Richie Hawtin, say), then you can only really judge it based on the selections made. So if you like Major Lazer/Diplo/Crookers-style cut-up bangers, you’ll probably thoroughly enjoy Nervous Nitelife. Highlights include the DJ’s own Lights Out ft Rowetta, the minimal/breakdown fusion of Back to Basic by Benny Royal, and the deep and frantic Tom Stephan mix of What You Need by Oscar G. [Euan Ferguson]