The Nomad - Perilous Times Review
For years, Daimon Schwalger, aka The Nomad, has been producing electronic sounds, masterfully mixing elements of dubstep, reggae, drum and bass and electronic music. His unique sounds continue on his sixth LP, Perilous Times, which features a foray of electronic beats spanning many genres that all feel related, and a multitude of singers to give every song a fresh face. The Nomad proves to listeners that they should not expect to hear the same thing twice, as his tracks all bring something new to the table. The dark funky lull of the opening track, “Give Some Love,” resonates with a neo-disco soul similar to electronic dance artist TV On The Radio. The reggae melody that races through “Run Through These Streets” takes surprising twists and turns as Vida-Sunshyne sings, “These are really perilous times.”
After listening through the first few tracks of Perilous Times, it becomes apparent that The Nomad has reached a very impressive level of electronic musicianship, mixing sonic echoes with furious drumbeats and reggae keys; all of this under the strong foundation of the different styled vocalists featured on each track. As Rajah45, who offers his vocals on the opening and title track, spits his funky flow over The Nomad’s soulful buzz, a new era of dubstep seems to be just over the horizon. Blending the reggae vocals with the fuzz of the bass, we hear all these sounds from separate genres of hip-hop, reggae and dubstep, coming together in a brilliant exhibition of future dub.
“We got to be conscious,” sings Jornick off of “Free.” The gentle vibes from Jornick’s voice and the steady electronic beat that The Nomad provides speak a message as universal as the love that makes us all one. It is all very familiar territory for any fan of reggae or dub music, but the duo still makes “Free” a very enjoyable listen that is new for where future dub music is heading.
All in all, Perilous Times covers a load of themes, ranging from the ominous presence of troubled times, the need to run from those troubles, and the freedom that we all share, that lives within us, all the while The Nomad’s reggae-fused sounds, which go from hip-hop to heavy dubstep, all blend from one genre to the other. Perilous Times is an astonishing experience, and a true testament to all lovers of reggae, hip-hop and electronic music.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Recommended Tracks: Give Some Love, Run Through These Streets, Perilous Times
