Artist: Nugen
Title: Braaj
Label: Release Records
By: Simon Jones | 27 November 2002
Tracklist:

• A1: Lemon 8 Inner Sanctuary Remix
• B1: Original Mix
• B2: Nathan Maners Breaks Mix

Nugen "Braaj"

Nugen is the brainchild of producer and DJ Emily Dela Fouchecour, who hails from Paris, France. Already she has enjoyed considerable success with tracks previously signed to Imago and Cyber, with a previous release, 'Emotion' having come on Release's label. This is now followed by by the progressive / tribal house crossover grooves of 'Braaj'.

Opening the account is Harry Lemon 8 with another of his superb 'Inner Sanctuary' mixes, dropping in a nice rolling 4 over 4 groove, smoothly weaving rapid-fire tribal drums over the top to shape the bassline. Once he has laid this template, some eastern strings are placed over the top as some delayed synth action pushes the drum arrangements through the cascading beats and as the spaced out break sweeps in, it's the final signal to prove that Lemon 8 has once again weaved some of his dutch magic.

Nugen herself pushes a mixture of progressive grooves and twisted drums together on the 'Original Mix', with a low bass house groove running underneath. Once again the ethnic influence oozes through, but following on from Lemon 8's mix was always going to be difficult, and as such comparisons are drawn. That's not to say the production on this mix isn't good because it is. It's the old cliche of if you've rode the Harley, you don't want to ride the moped anymore, and Lemon 8's mix is the standard by which this release will be judged. Hats off for effort though.

'Nathan Manners' rolls in last, but by no means least with a spacial breaks rework that starts off slowly but soon kicks into industrial sounding breakbeat grooves, whilst retaining several key elements of the track. As an additional to the rest of the mixes of the package it's a nice compliment to the rest of the package, but perhaps a filthier minded mix would have worked better, regardless, by no means rubbish, just no different to many other breaks tracks out there.

With this now being Release's sixth release, the label is edging it's way forward, with views to take on not only Canada, but the world stage and as long as they continue to search for new and exciting artists and get some quality remixers, future ones which will include Main Element and Jay Tripwire, than they will have no problems whatsoever.