Nightmares on Wax

Born in Leeds, Nightmares on Wax took shape in the late 1980s around George Evelyn and Kevin Harper, in the wake of the British bleep scene associated with Warp. Early maxi singles, including “Dextrous” and “Aftermath,” placed the project within electronic music still close to breakbeat and minimal techno. From A Word of Science: The First and Final Chapter (1991), and after Harper’s departure, Nightmares on Wax became George Evelyn’s primary alias. The music moved away from a strict club format toward a looser downtempo built on hip‑hop rhythms, dub basslines, soul and funk textures, and regular use of samples and guest vocals. This progression is clearer on Smokers Delight (1995), Carboot Soul (1999) and Mind Elevation (2002), and later on In a Space Outta Sound (2006), Feelin’ Good (2013), Shape the Future (2018) and Shout Out! To Freedom... (2021). In DJ sets as well as live, Nightmares on Wax has since circulated between electronic stages, festivals and more laid‑back formats, with writing focused on groove, slow tempos and an atmosphere drawing on soundsystem culture, trip‑hop and chillout.