Artist: Nathan Fake
Title: Outhouse
Label: Border Community
By: Simon Jones | 3 November 2003
Tracklist:

• A1: Original Mix
• B1: Fluffy Mix
• B2: Beaty Tool Mix

Nathan Fake "Outhouse"

Nathan Fake is a young producer from Norfolk in the UK, and is also the latest artist to join James Holden's Border Community. Influenced by a wide and varied range of music, some of Nathan's favourite artists include Boards Of Canada, M83 and Ulrich Schnauss, but let's not compare 'Outhouse' to works by those, but instead marvel at the superb production on this debut single from Nathan, showing a developing talent that will no doubt develop even further under with mentor and friend like James to help him, although as this track proves, he is already more than capable of delivering the goods.

Quirky drum percussion introduces us to the 'Original Mix' as the bassline shimmers in after a few seconds in fine acidic fashion. Delays create a droning effect on the bassline, allowing the track's melody to float over the top as the mood builds. Atmospheric fills and string layers guide us through a breakdown early on and into another section where the beats become more compacted and techy sounding and the melody more haunting with a terrific upbeat tempo complimenting the arrangement of the track perfectly, climaxing in another break which drops the bottom end out and strips things down for a subtle outro to return things to a state of calm. Nathan's abstract beats and melodies may not appeal to all, but mark my words, you need to play this loud and appreciate just how excellent it is.

The 'Fluffy Mix' is an ambient interpretation of the track, with the chords leading the clicky beats and soft hi-hats that Nathan brings together atop a glistening groove. Nice dubby effects create bubbles in the bass and this downbeat interpretation is a versatile number that can be used as a dj tool or a dynamic set opener. The only limit is your own imagination.

The final mix is the 'Beaty Tool Mix', where Nathan focuses on the acid bassline of the original, with some tight cut up loops creating a monstrous groove. Rapidly changing beats lend a tougher edge to the bassline, with a big speaker tweaking soundscape being the end result. An interesting techno hybrid which finishes off this dynamic single rather nicely indeed.

A superb debut from Nathan Fake, and with several remixes and other original works to look out for early in 2004, you can be sure that the coming year will be a time you hear a lot lot more about this youngster, mark my words.