ANNUNCIA ‘IN A SPACE OUTTA SOUND’ – 20TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET + ‘IN A SPACE OUTTA DUB’ BY ADRIAN SHERWOOD IN USCITA IL 3 APRILE.

Warp Records is proud to announce the 20th-anniversary celebration of Nightmares On Wax’s (George Evelyn) iconic album ‘In A Space Outta Sound’. Coming off the heels of the hugely successful mixtape ‘Echo45 Sound System’ and set for release on 3rd April, this project serves as another vital cultural reconnection to a sound that has quietly soundtracked the last two decades. In many ways, it speaks to both the past and present of Evelyn’s career. The 2005 album was his original paean to the reggae culture he had grown up with in West Yorkshire, a scene of homemade speaker boxes and heavy rhythms on imported 12”s. A formative influence that he also revisited on his latest mixtape, (released at the end of last year). Both records see the original influences filtered through the producer’s unique sensibility, blending Jamaican sounds with soul, jazz, hip-hop and an unparalleled ability to flip a sample into an earworm hook. LP as a living artefact, and this reissue is an invitation for listeners who have heard these tracks in the background of their lives for twenty years to make the connection between these life-affirming songs, the genre-defining record, and groundbreaking artist. This is the definitive edition of an album that continues to define the “inner space” of our everyday world. As Warp’s longest-serving artist, George Evelyn has remained at the forefront of electronic and soulful music for over three decades. This anniversary acknowledges his enduring influence and the timeless nature of a body of work that continues to resonate across generations. To commemorate this milestone alongside the 30th anniversary of ‘Smokers Delight’, Nightmares On Wax is set to perform a sold-out show at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall on March 12th. For one night only, Evelyn celebrates two landmark anniversaries, reinterpreting these ground-breaking, iconic, and era-defining albums with full live band, string quartet, choir, guest vocalists, and surprise collaborators, all brought together with stunning visual and sonic production.

‘In A Space Outta Sound’ is perhaps the most ubiquitous record you may not recognise the title of, seeping into the public consciousness via the massive success of tracks such as ‘You Wish’ and ‘Flip Ya Lid’, heard around the world in countless public spaces. While it stands as Nightmares On Wax’s biggest record globally and most commercially successful body of work, its influence has undoubtedly permeated culture in a way that transcends the artist’s name. The soulful vibrations of these tracks have become a much-heard soundtrack to modern existence. This anniversary marks the moment to finally connect the dots between the songs people know and love, and the record they came from. The bass pulse at the heart of the project is emphasised further with the very special bonus material that has been newly commissioned from the legendary Adrian Sherwood, a dub master extraordinaire. Invited by Evelyn to dismantle and reconstruct some of the tracks from the original album, the much respected On-U Sound label head has risen to the challenge admirably, not only stripping back the original rhythm tracks for his trademark FX manipulation, but also recording fresh overdubs with some of his core players such as Cyrus Richard (Horace Andy / Dub Asante Band) and Doug Wimbish (Tackhead / Living Color). The resulting 8-track set, ‘In A Space Outta Dub’, follows the prestigious historical lineage of dub versions of major albums, such as Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor’s ‘No Protection’, or indeed Sherwood’s previous dub reimaginings of albums by Primal Scream, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, and Spoon. The anniversary is anchored by two distinct physical offerings that emphasise the sonic worlds of this project. The primary centrepiece is the 20th Anniversary Edition Box Set, a beautiful 3LP vinyl only collection that pairs the original double-vinyl album with a bonus disc featuring the new ‘In A Space Outta Dub’ reinterpretations. The design has been overseen by frequent collaborator Ruff Mercy (Gorillaz, Run The Jewels, Mac Miller) who has not only reimagined the sleeve for the original album, but come up with a cohesive look for all the other elements, with finishing flourishes including a glow-in-the-dark print finish, cut-out speaker box, and sticker sheet. For those seeking the standalone dub project, Warp presents ‘In A Space Outta Dub’ as an eight-track journey available across LP, CD, and digital formats.

Photo credit: Ollie Trenchard