SIM NAGAI Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Belgian producer Sim Nagai is back to take you on a worldly trip with ore of his well designed sounds on this new album for Cold Busted. It will be no surprise to learn once you hear this album that he loves to travel and manages to ably capture that in his work. Equator Hotline is packed with exotica-fuelled beatscapes and transportive vibes. On 'Animal Lithographs' there are lush harp sounds and subtle eastern melodies, 'Floating Through The Delta' is a humid and steamy trip down the river with the gentle patter of hand drums and swooning strings and 'Catching Waves' then carries you away on more gently broken beat loops and sun kissed melodies. This is super warm music for super warm days.

Review: Cold Busted has long been setting the standard for hip hop and instrumental goodness. As well as serving up the latest in their Jet Set series this month, they also invite Belgian beatmaker and fine sonic journeyman Sim Nagai to make an entry into the same much-loved series. 'In Rotation' opens with funky drumming and pitch-shifted guitar licks before Latin flavours wash over 'Cuban Delirium,' a deeper beat with reverential pianos. There is a pure beachside bliss to 'Palm Dreams' with its tumbling drums and hits and languid vocal samples and 'Copacabana Sand' completes the trip with a nice shuffling beat and some gorgeous acoustic string work.