Nuff X - Take Me Out

Hear The Track Here

Nuff X has been one of the only electronica artists to hit it consistently with this reviewer this year, and that has to be down to his own style, aided and abetted by some lovely cutups... As you know, electronica never really hits the high spots with me, but when it is done well - as it is in this case - then I can certainly live with it. At the end of 2005 in my year end review I singled out two new electronica artists who I felt would make an even bigger impression in 2006. One was the much admired Omnisine who has had a terrific year, and the other was Nuff X and he has done splendidly this year. Out of the seven or so tracks I have reviewed this year, I've even kept one and that is amazing for any kind of electronica. Along the way I seem to have also given him a string of recommended's as well.

All in all, making out like a bandit eh? ;)

He's also, I've just noticed, a right prolific little pigdog too, and doncha just hate that. He has 129 tracks on his page and he's only 19, wtf is that at? The really frightening thing is that he is diverse with it, mixing and matching as he sees fit and by gum it works too. Take Me Out struck me immediately with all the finesse of a runaway juggernaut, the Squelchfest at the beginning sucking me ears dry before I could yelp in fear. Although I have some production moans, which I'll discuss in a while, Take Me Out is an adequate introduction to Nuff's work if you have never heard of him; but it isn't to my ears as strong as some of the tracks he has released this year. I'm having trouble putting my finger on what the problem is; musical or technical.

Technical because the rough seems a bit rough to me, and very hot in terms of levels. The damn track leapt out of the speakers and had me in a armlock in seconds and kept that pose throughout. A good thing yes, I would agree, except there is noticeable clipping in a couple of places and that definitely doesn't work for me. It's especially noticeable on the vocals which are obviously very heavily treated so they would be a bit noisy, but not to the extent of clipping. If it were a perfect world, this track should prod some major bottom, but it just misses by the smallest of margins - something worthy of a swift remix to tame it down a bit. Having said that, Nuff X may have intended all this to be part of the overall picture, I certainly wouldn't put it past him. So, if you want this one untreated, best be cautious with it because it is a mighty fearsome beast.

Cool, cut up electronica.