Sound Library
2025 (Promo Vol. 1)
By
Daniel Niles
Anyone who is a regular reader of the blog will be familiar
with the Daniels work as I have featured his production on his instrumental
album Carmen Suite (2021) and his work alongside Anyway Tha God on Allow God To
Interject – Daniel Niles Remix (2021) and the single Mind Melt (2024).
This latest offering is limited edition cassette promo that
features six remixes that Daniel has produced. The release is strictly limited
to the cassette, with no plans to release them digitally. So, you might want to
grab one of these while they are still out there…
Reviewing remix projects is always a challenge, especially
if you are not familiar with all the tracks. So, as I want to give you my
honest opinion here, I am going to do my best to check the original prior to
reviewing the remix so that I can give you an idea of how they compare.
So, I’m gonna dive straight in with he first track, which is
Best Stop Ya Crying. Now I do know this track as it featured on Daniels
remix project for Anyway Tha God, Allow God To Interject. Now, I have
not been able to find a copy of the original but, here is what I said about
that 2021 remix from Daniel. The harmonica, piano, and drums on Best
Stop Ya Crying creates a sound that seems to tug at your nerves a
little and this whole track seemed to speak on how people react when things
don’t go their way. It’s like the old saying, don’t cry over spilled milk or in
our current society, don’t start complaining about the actions of a government
that you voted for. Here Daniel brings a far funkier sound, with head nod
drums, tambourine, other percussion sounds and this wickedly funky bass. All
this mashes together to bring a sound that gets you moving; while at the same
time not taking anything away for Anyway Tha God’s vocals which still have the
same impact and as they did several years back.
The second track comes from Billie Splyff (aka Mista Spyce
of The Brotherhood) and is Tek No Nonsense. Daniel produced the original
of this track which featured on 2021’s Sorry For The Wait album. The
original had a solid boom bap style beat alongside these organ notes that gave
the whole thing a quite mind bending sound. For the remix, Daniel has kept the
heavy drumbeat but, kept the mind bending sound with some keys and other sounds
that does mess with your mind, just like the original. Billie Splyff takes no
prisoners here as the track is all about, as the title suggests, taking no nonsense,
whether it is from scene or those who object to smoking a certain plant. The
wordplay reflects what the track is all about and this hot new remix is one
that is likely to be on more that a few playlists, if you can grab a copy that
is.
Up next, is another track that I know well and have
reviewed; High Noon by Montener The Menace featuring Masta Ace, Rah
Digga, Wordsworth and Fatlip, from the album Anyone Home (2021). My
review of the original went like this: Montener the Menace has formed a rag
tag group of Hip-Hop outlaws with Masta Ace, Rah Digga, Wordsworth (outlaws)
and Fatlip (sheriff). Now the line may blur as to which side of the law they
stand on, but they are gonna be letting off from all barrels or chambers on
those who have the nerve to cross them, as they stand for oppressed against the
oppressors. The straight up head nod beat laced with strings comes from Wounded
Buffalo Beats and really is a track that is more than just a posse cut and
could well be ‘The Symphony’ for a new era. For this new remix Daniel has
gone for a solid head nod drumbeat, which this track demands, and has backed
that with a bass note and a vocal sample that seems to have a middle eastern
sound to it. This changes the tone of the track, which at first listen I was
not sure worked but, the more I have listened, it has kinda grown on me. The
vocals still hit as they did on the original but, here the remix almost gives
the track a reflective edge, as if someone is reminiscing over an experience
past.
Clear The Space by Noddegamra is one I am not
familiar with and comes from the 2021 EP of the same name, which was originally
recorded back in 2003 by Slough MC Noddegamra and producer Big Chill. In 2021
Daniel, who is the nephew of Big Chill (R.I.P.), rediscovered the original
acapellas and remixed the eight track EP. That 2021 version is a proper boom
bap track with horns, that gets your head nodding. The track focuses on
Noddegamra bringing a bit of braggadocio on who he is and quality of his rap
game. The wordplay is solid too and it really surprises me that this one seems
to have gone over the heads of so many and deserves for attention, which could
well happen with this remix. For this new remix Daniel gives the track a real
heavy sound with a banger of a beat that ramps up the adrenaline levels and is,
if I dare say it, one of the highlights here. Not only should this one make you
want to seek out the EP and search for more from Noddegamra but, also Daniel
does a cracking job of paying homage to his uncle ‘Big Chil’ who sadly passed
away earlier this year, and I can’t think of a more poignant way for honouring
someone’s memory than this.
The penultimate remix here comes in the form of the track The
Phantasm Pt 2 from the album 7th (2022). Daniel had
originally been asked to do a remix for the 7th Remix Edition
but, when that remix didn’t quite make the final cut, he used the acapella to
produce this new remix. The original was produced by 7th Dan and has
a solid drumbeat that is backed by piano giving the whole thing this sound you
can’t help to vibe to while DSOTM create a track with cleaver lyrics and
wordplay that you the idea you have just become embroiled in a living
nightmare. Daniels new remix keeps that nightmare vibe with a heavy beat over
bass, horns, and electronic sounds that grab your awareness and toy with your
nerves once more.
The final remix here is Nile Flow from the DTN
Collective featuring Who Dat and Billie Splyff. The DTN Collective (Dantian
Collective) is comprised of KG-Chi, Mista-E, Zedi, AnyWay Tha God, and Ayem and
the track Nile Flow comes from their album A.S.K.M. (2024). The original was
produced by Daniel and features cuts from Sub One. That Original has a banging
boom bap beat with keys and strings that all merged to give you a sound that
got you moving while also testing your nerves. This one is a display of the emcee’s
wordplay and lyrical prowess, one to sit back and enjoy, while the focus is on
the words flowing effortlessly like water. For the brand new remix, Daniel
brings a solid and heavy boom bap beat that gets you moving from the get-go.
There is a synth sound here that gives this one a Carpenter style sound that
only adds to the vibe of this one, taking nothing away from the vibe of the
original but elevating it to another level.
What can I say overall about this one?
I have to say that I have always loved the art of the remix.
I grew up in the 80’s when the remix was a huge thing, and you would buy 12”
singles just to get various remixes. The remix can often change the vibe and
sound of a track and there are times when a remix will work and times when it
does not. I have to say I’m not a huge fan of more modern genre’s making
remixes of older tracks, especially when it comes to DnB or EDM etc. However,
what we get with Sound Library 2025 Promo Vol. 1 is a perfect display of
how to do it properly. Here Daniel Niles takes six tracks, some of which he
himself originally produced and some where he is bringing a whole new take on
an original production. He skilfully brings a new sound to each track, either
keeping the overall vibe of the original, or completely giving it a whole new
sound that, while keeping the essence of the original tracks meaning, brings a
new vibe that takes the meaning in a different direction.
Another thing to consider here is that the cassette comes with
the vocal versions on the A-Side and the instrumental versions on the B-Side.
As I have said many times before, having the instrumental version of a track is
something that I always enjoy as a sound scape that is free of vocals can take
you a million different places in your mind, and there is always the chance too
that these instrumentals give you some inspiration for your own creative
abilities. It’s well worth taking the time to check them out, in my humble
opinion.
You can tell that Daniel has a great ear for the Hip Hop
sound and has the production skills to bring new life and direction to tracks
that you might be familiar with and those you might not be. This release is one
of those rare underground gems that won’t be out there for all to own. Rare
promo items can be among some of the most popular and expensive things to track
down and I have no doubt that Sound Library 2025 Promo Vol. 1 has the
potential to be one of those gems, in terms of Hip Hop music.
I suggest that if like collecting those rarities, then this
one should be one you look to get hold of before they disappear and the price
skyrockets.
Update, as I get this post ready to go live, I have just found out that these have sold out. Looks like you may just have take my word for it on the content...
Huge thanks to Daniel Niles for giving me the chance to
bring you my take of this one.
I see you next time.
Steve.
LINKS
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https://linktr.ee/Daniel_Niles
Daniel Niles on Insta:
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