Spins: Album reviews

Nicolay – Here

Artist: Nicolay Album: Here Label: BBE Music Genre: Hip-Hop/Soul When I think of the Netherlands (which is another name for Holland for those who never paid any attention to geography back in school) I think of windmills, levees, canals, Picasso, Anne Frank, milkmaids wearing clogs on their feet while churning butter, and of course the infamous Red Light District of Amsterdam with their legal prostitution and marijuana cafes with their psychedelic drugs. Yet Hip Hop would be the last thing to come to mind until I discovered Dutch Hip Hop producer Nicolay. Back in 2004, who could have fathomed the collaboration between Nicolay in Holland with rapper Phonte of Little Brother in North Carolina through strictly e-mails and on-line file transferring would produce an album with a perfect blend of Hip Hop and Neo Soul. That album was The Foreign Exchange – Connected and it introduced America to the Hip Hop producing talents of Nicolay. Now, with his first official full-length album (he has a previous mix-tape album called City Lights 1.5) entitled Here, Nicolay continues to illustrate his musical talents not only as a producer, but as a musician. Like Connected, Here mixes in conscious and urban Hip Hop with the smooth sounds of Neo Soul. From start to finish, the album conveys Nicolay’s range as a musician utilizing the piano, keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums on the tracks. More notable on the instrumental tracks “Here (intro)”, “Give Her Everything”, and “Let It Shine For Me” where he uses hard and soft guitar riffs with a piano melody. Joining Nicolay on the album are six MCs from different parts of United States, but the only rapper who clearly stands out lyrically is Black Spade of St. Louis, Missouri. Black Spade truly shines on “The End Is Near” where Nicolay sets up a drum beat that builds up with each verse. Another notable song is “My Story” which captures the flavor of jazz with rhythm and blues. Although the album is not as strong as Connected, Nicolay’s first official effort does not disappoint. My only regret is that album was only eleven song and not longer. - Ashton Webber Turner www.nicolaymusic.com www.myspace.com/nicolay Purchase at Itunes Purchase at Amazon

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