BBE Records is proud to release the Nicolay instrumental album, City Lights Volume 1.5. As the acclaimed producer of The Foreign Exchange Connected album, Nicolay returns to give music lovers his first production offerings... more » to the world. City Lights Volume 1.5 is a collection of refreshingly lush and layered beats blended together providing the perfect soundtrack to "The City". Originally offered as a very limited promotional CD, Volume 1.5 contains re-mastered music along with 5 bonus tracks that display why Nicolay name is on the tip of everybody?s tongues. City Lights Volume 1.5 features the standout instrumental compositions "Indian Summer" and "Band Practice" along with the now famed Little Brother credited instrumental track "Light It Up". As well, the album features triumphant track "Victory" which will make you fell like you can conquer "The City". For fans who own The Foreign Exchange Connected full length and Connected Instrumentals albums along with his recent underground mixtape (The Dutch Masters), City Lights Volume 1.5 is a must-own. And if you are not aware of Nicolay?s spectacular production prowess, Volume 1.5 is the perfect place to start to learn his musical history and fall in love.« less
BBE Records is proud to release the Nicolay instrumental album, City Lights Volume 1.5. As the acclaimed producer of The Foreign Exchange Connected album, Nicolay returns to give music lovers his first production offerings to the world. City Lights Volume 1.5 is a collection of refreshingly lush and layered beats blended together providing the perfect soundtrack to "The City". Originally offered as a very limited promotional CD, Volume 1.5 contains re-mastered music along with 5 bonus tracks that display why Nicolay name is on the tip of everybody?s tongues. City Lights Volume 1.5 features the standout instrumental compositions "Indian Summer" and "Band Practice" along with the now famed Little Brother credited instrumental track "Light It Up". As well, the album features triumphant track "Victory" which will make you fell like you can conquer "The City". For fans who own The Foreign Exchange Connected full length and Connected Instrumentals albums along with his recent underground mixtape (The Dutch Masters), City Lights Volume 1.5 is a must-own. And if you are not aware of Nicolay?s spectacular production prowess, Volume 1.5 is the perfect place to start to learn his musical history and fall in love.
CD Reviews
The Return of True Hip Hop
Shannon Aleveev Smith | Oklahoma City | 04/04/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There's a revolution goin' on ya'll. One where commericial bullsh$# on the radio is being replaced by those who live for THE ART. This revolt is being led by kats like Nicolay whom from relative obscurity, is single-handedly returning hip-hop to it's rightful owners, the MC. City Lights, from beginning to end, is a concept-like album spanning the range of beat production. From the "Theme" intro to the "Reprise" outro, this is an album that'll make you look up and realize you've been beatin' the same CD in your car stereo for like a month(I know from first-hand experience). Standout tracks include "Fantastic, Memory Lane, The Sopranos, We Can Fly, and the Reprise." All around an amazing experience! Nicolay together with kats like Kev Brown, 9th, Marc Mac and the elders Pete and Primo; will hopefully drive Hip Hop into the next generation before radio drives it into the ground."
Nicolay is on a roll
G. H. Seay | West Hartford, CT United States | 03/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After his work with Phonte on The Foreign Exchange, I didn't see how Nicolay could do better. But he did. The grooves here are slammin'. Phonte's cameo on the CD was a very pleasant surprise. I can't put the CD down."
Another Hip Hop Classic
N. Jack | 09/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nicolay is One Half of Foreign Exchange..and he show's Hip hop fans why phonte' of Little brother chose to hook-up with him to put out the Foreign Exchange project. This album is so Superb. Pop it in when your cruising in your Car..or Walking the block.
He is truly a Gifted Beat maker/producer.
It's also cool that he's making music for little brother as well.
If u like Laid back music then this the CD for you
GO Get it!!!"
A NIGHT IN THE CITY
Jon a.k.a. Dragon | A-town, GA, USA | 02/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nicolay got beats. You can hate all you want to, but this man has a God-given talent on the boards. Fresh off of "The Dutchmasters" mixtape come his intrumental joint, "The City Lights 1.5". This isn't your regular instrumental cd, as it blends flawlessly in between each track with backdrops of people on the street, car horns and subway cars to give the "feel" of living in the Big City (NYC). Even without the backdrops, the instrumentals alone are the perfect sountrack to the urban landscape. Instead of using the same tired drum patters that have been killed countless times in the past, Nic chooses to improvise and switch up when you least expect it, adding melodic arrangements that places him years ahead of his peers, even using an array of arrangements reminiscient of when cats actually made "music". The standout beats are the big-band horns of "Fantastic", the soaring "Light it Up", the warm "Indian Summer" and "So Far", the construction-at-work of "Band Practice", and "We Can Fly", which gives the feel of the entrance song of the Justice Leage or your favorite superhero. The climax of the album is "Victory" which builds up higher and higher, as if it's the theme to when you've beaten the last level of a game you've been busting your ass on for almost months. For fans of BBE's Beat Generation, even Jazz Enthusiasts, this will be a gem in your collection. SHOUT OUT TO THE JUSTUS LEAGUE."
Phat Beats {4 ½ Stars}
Norfeest | Washington DC USA | 03/31/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Nicolay has always been nice, but it's hard to create a niche when your crew is standing in the gargantuan shadow of 9th Wonder/Little Brother. Khrysis found his own niche with that last Away Team album (National Anthem) and, in my humble opinion, this should be the album that seperates Nicolay from the rest of the JL pack. I know cats like to compare 9th Wonder to Pete Rock, but I think Nicolay has more of a PR sound than 9th does. 9th's sound is more like mellowed out boom bap while Nic has a more vibrant, soulful sound to it. Vibrant and soulful are pretty much the best descriptions for the sound of the album. There isn't a single bad track to be found on the entire LP.
Only flaws I can think of are the unnecessary interludes where the babbling that's going on actually interrupts a steady flow of dope beats (especially the ones with L.E.G.A.C.Y. on 'em). It's like a teacher slamming a book on your desk while simultaneously snatching you right out of a great daydream. Personally, I would've appreciated the interludes being left off of the album. But that's just me.
City Lights Volume 1.5 is definitely one of the better hip hop instrumental albums out there. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a great album from a producer who can't possibly continue to be so slept on if he keeps up this pace. I highly recommend adding this album to the collection.
Standout Tracks: There's No Guarantee, Indian Summer, Light It Up, So Far (My Favorite), Hey!, and Fantastic"
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1