He’s only surfaced on wax in 2015, but Israeli producer Obas Nenor could hardly have heavier house credentials. He debuted with a single on Strictly Rhythm backed by a torch-lit Andrès remix, and his second outing is on Moodymann’s Mahogani Music.
The two tracks on his latest 12” live up to the hype, offering a muscular, explosive brand of house that doesn’t skimp on the funk. ‘My Way Home‘ can be heard in one of two ways. As a straight listen, it’s a stormer crafted from funky guitar licks and oscillating synths that sear like the sun. So far, so good. Fans of the inimitable Gil Scott-Heron, however, may see this one as more like an edit.
The vocal and melodies of Scott-Heron’s classic ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is‘ have been borrowed heavily for ‘My Way Home’, and honestly Nenor’s club refit loses much of the original’s heartbreak soul. Ultimately as a standalone tune it’s a belter though, and miles better than any number of efforts from producers who borrow liberally from the annals of funk and soul.
The B-side ‘Change Got To Come‘ is a braver, darker cut. Dramatic strings and a hefty rhythm start things off, before a dubby break introduces a mucky bassline precision engineered to rattle the bass bins. The track wields elements of soundsystem culture expertly, from the dub effects that continue stylishly over the stomping kick to the veritable assault of the bass frequencies. This’d already be gold, but Nenor unexpectedly transforms the track halfway through into a nocturnal disco number, opening the door to the kick and introducing a catchy vocal line.
It may be his first release with more than a single original track, but Nenor’s vital outing is a testament to both the producer’s confidence and Moodymann’s psychic skills as a curator. Two sides of straight fire, count this one as essential.
My Way Home is out now on Mahogani Music, order a vinyl copy from Phonica.
TRACKLIST
A. OnMyWayHome
B. A Change Is Gonna Come
Discover more about Obas Nenor and Mahogani Music on Inverted Audio.