The Island of Ibiza, lies in the southwestern portion of the Balearic Islands of Spain. Ibiza has been a destination for travelers since the 1960′s. The laid back-party approach is attractive to hipster’s, hippies and nudists alike. There are 5 star Ibiza discotheques, 5 star Ibiza hotels, and 5 start Ibiza white beaches. It has become a spot where people have found their way to relax and enjoy being alive. This recently attracted musician George Evelyn.

George Evelyn, the producer behind an electronic soul project known as Nightmares on Wax, was approaching the age of 40. At this time, Evelyn discovered within himself a need for a life change, climate change, and logistical change. Originally from Leeds, England he moved to Ibiza, Spain supporting this internal transition, writing his sixth album during the trip. The radical shift in his environment demanded and inspired this new work, as a document to this transition. He went on the road with a guitarist, a bassist and a few guest vocalists. The album started in the van during the trip and recently released, is ‘Thought So’.

The motley group worked in the van, traveling along the roads of England, France, and Spain, improvising rhythms on a laptop computer with the guitar and bass playing along from the backseat. The group was joined halfway through the roadtrip by reggae artist Ricky Ranking. Throughout ‘Thought So” bits of whistling, clapping, laughter and group harmonies reminiscent of old school Motown add to the impromptu recordings and create an approachable and casual feel. This is a group of musicians on the road, not the image Evelyn thought he’d create of himself in the beginning, of one single person sitting alone in a studio. Evelyn has commented that he really didn’t expect it all to work so well, to click in the way that it has.

The group stopped off in Segovia, Spain to record what had been written in the van. The acoustics of the 400 year old hotel room boosted the vocal harmonies and they stayed on longer than originally planned to take advantage of the sound. During the recording session, Evelyn’s DJ, EASE (stands for experimental sample expert) cleared the obvious samples of Quincy Jones by writing to him, asking permission to use samples from “Summer in the City”. This sample became part of the signature Nightmare on Wax tune, ‘Les Nuits’. This piece, which combines scratching, piano, vocal loops and haunting strings predates and has influenced fellow artists such as Autechre and Aphex Twin. It has been called the bassline for a night, for a night out or a night within.

It took Evelyn one road trip, to Ibiza, Spain to find within himself a new way to create, to collaborate and discover this new vibe, to be inspired. The series may be viewed on YouTube, and has created the opportunity for Nightmares on Wax to tour the United States for the first time. It is beautiful record, check it out.