Mitch Dodge
Set within a kaleidoscope of uplifting pianos, soaring harmonies, and infectious rhythms, label head Mike Nasty returns to Nasty Tracks with ‘Sketches in Deep’, a musical experience that beams with joy and delivers endless listening pleasure…
Mike Nasty’s sound is as quintessential as it is effortlessly dynamic, and it draws from sources of vitality that cross multiple threads of expression. His passion draws from multiple facets, with his DJing style and music-making outputs matching each other in terms of depth and diversity. Anchored firmly within the genre of House, he aims to explore many of the genre’s core fundamentals, with a particular focus on injecting Jazz motifs in all the right places. To say that his musical universe is unlimited is perhaps an understatement – it is perhaps easier to say that his music feels boundless, coated in an ethereal quality that makes each track simmer with feel and meaning as he criss-crosses between genres with joyous ease. At the core of each of his records reside a series of memories, experiences, and stories, with Mike’s flair for instrumentation providing plenty for which to delve within and be immersed within the music’s engrossing atmospheres.
‘Sketches in Deep’ contains the latest continuation of Mike’s musical journey, and it’s yet another exercise in jubilation through sound. The whole record contains a near-endless stream of acutely delivered instrumentation sequences, alongside inspired vocal performances and an overall air of exploring the very soul of house music. The opener, ‘Jazz Flower’, is a late-night burner of the highest order. Horns and brass twinkle alongside thoughtful piano fills, as the rhythm keeps it steady underneath. The track has a range to it, as if to seek out new pastures through the sheer adulation of instrumentation – and it does so very profoundly. ‘Passion’ comes next, with its laid-back rhythm section giving way to a hyper-emotive chordal arrangement. The keys are warm, smooth, and tangible, and when the soaring key solo comes into view, the space simply lights up. ‘Sing Your Praise’ lands next and brings some fine vocal work along for the ride. The feel is one of looking up, feeling unified and together, as the chords shift the soul towards new shores, as the angelic vocal lead and chorus lead us all to praise the lord.
‘Jungle’ shifts focus and feel into a more progressive house space. A driving energy takes over, with a vibrant rhythmic undercurrent providing the basis for groovy piano and keys playing up top. The shifts between phrases are as smooth as can be, allowing elements to shift in and out of space. ‘Cooper Tones’ flips the switch with its looser, broken beat style feel, with the piano allowed to meander up the scales and into the heavens. The shifts in energy allow a quiet reflectionism of sorts, before leading back into the full power of the track. ‘Nocturne’ flips into yet another shade of house, with its core bass line and punchy drums anchoring all manner of instrumentation to flourish up top – this one soars the skies. To wrap things up, a dub version of ‘Sing Your Praise’ lands in the ears, and as a flip side to the vocal version, it exudes a genuine warmth and feel – so much so that you will hear the words ‘praise the lord’ in your head as the night begins to lift off.
‘Sketches In Deep‘ is out now!