There was a time when Daimon Schwalger, AKA The Nomad, was on every airwave, headlining every essential EDM event. His sets at seminal gigs like The Gathering were legendary. He’s pushed musical boundaries for over a quarter of a century (35 years if you include DJing) and has collaborated with a host of local and overseas heroes. Even now his gigs sell out as soon as announced. He remains beloved on the scene.

The Nomad’s first album, Movement dropped way back in ’98, followed by nine more full length albums, remixed albums and a shed-load of singles. Even just thinking about all that makes me feel a little exhausted. The Nomad’s output was expansive.

But there comes a time when we all have to grow up and settle down. So, about 9 years ago, with a young family to consider, Schwalger made the decision to pack away his mixer for a bit and move from the big smoke down to the West Coast where he set up a photography and production company working with corporates, businesses and sometimes schools, mentoring and sharing his skills.

It was while he was taking a workshop with some local school kids that he was reminded that it was 25 years since he first started making music. That sparked an idea for a project last year to put together an anniversary double vinyl release Infinite I, which went No.1 on the independent charts and No.2 on the NZ Charts in the same week and sold out before it even hit the shops. With plenty more in the bag, he put out a follow up, Infinite II and a big NZ tour, which sold out nearly everywhere, too.

Due to all that success, he decided to get a number of Kiwi and International producers to do remixes of The Nomad’s classics, with the bonus that if you put all three albums, with the stunning album art by Frances Cheetham (who’s been with the Nomad since he did his 5th album in 2005) there will be one united image flowing continuously, and gracefully across all three discs. The images form a symbol of a harmonious musical Kaupapa. The first image is a hooded ‘faerie’, the second a black lotus flower, and the third a silver snake (next year is Year of The Snake, a time to shed skin, new beginnings).

The first cabs off the rank will appear familiar to many ears is Salmonella Dub’s For The Love Of It, relabeled Version 2. This is a re-mastered version of The Nomad remix of their all-time classic, which was originally released on 12’’ vinyl way back in the year of Our Lord Prince, 1999.It’s a satisfying dub heavy and catchy number, perfect for a BBQ or a twilight forest rave.

I’m jamming in the gym to A Difference (on the cover now as A Di_erence, not a spelling mistake), which leads in with a long sort of ‘bongo’ solo followed by some hip drumming beats.

Another fave, The Black Seeds’ Coming Back Home from 2002, itself a many times remixed, is still new and fresh, starting with the threads of a single familiar riff and building slowly as a loop until the chorus satisfyingly kicks in.

Not unexpectedly, there’s plenty of variety on this retrospective. Sound Brace is a cruisy, jazzy piece, whilst Distracted, in complete contrast is a huge night club clip, full of digital trickery and pumping with the soul of a thousand killer robots.

One of the joys of cracking into a Nomad album is being introduced to new talent. A refreshing bonus is a brand-new single, Momentum, his first in 10 years, featuring the golden throat of Kiwi dark-pop vocalist Michèle Ducray. Her sugar sweet voice is a dominant feature. This is a catch and release drum and bass dance floor collision of pop and sonic energy (rumour has it this track will feature on a new album, scheduled to drop sometime next year).

Schwalger does a lot of workshops and mentoring and works with up and coming artists, and through connections got Ducray to sing his lyrics for this track.

Originally from South Africa and now residing in Christchurch, Ducray might be new to the wider motu but is definitely one to watch. In 2021 she was semi-finalist in the prestigious Voyager International Song writing Competition and has hit the stages of Bay Dreams and Electric Avenue. Her 2022 single Manifesto featured on MTV’s Plush Australasia show. Check out her new stuff, last year’s Monster and Psycho and the EP Throne of Mine for spellbinding fantasy songs intertwined with dark mystical themes.

There are two dub heavy moments, in the style of Lee Scratch Perry et al. The first comes with the appropriately labelled remix Mr Selector, with new vocals from Ghanaian Rasta-DJ Ras Stone. There are various versions of this cut that go way back. The original was made by producer/musician Michael Hodgson (Pitch Black, Tinnitus, The Projector Mix, Misled Convoy).You can find a very slick remix by The Nomad on the ‘Misled Convoys: Translations II’ and elsewhere around the internet. That’s no surprise as Schwalger and Pitch Black go way back to 1996’s The Gathering event, when he was in another band called Locust, and have since collaborated many times, including remixing this track for various projects.

Another big Dub/EDM moment comes with a master mix mashup of an old tune called Deeper Feat. Jornick and Saritah (which originally featured on Nomad’s Perilous Times album 10 years ago), now repackaged with a heavier sound as Deeper Now following some studio magic from Kiwi producers Miami Vice.

There’s plenty more super selection of oldies hear getting the ‘audiophonic make over’ including Destinations, Check Da Pitch Feat. Mad Professor, Brok Out Feat. Lotek, and my favourite cocktail lounge groove Take A Sip Feat. Tokyo Mae, which has been gloriously smooshed up as a Chicago House banger by Simon Rycroft from Rhombus AKA Sizemore.

Future Flowz, another of Schwalger mentees is very new to the scene, still in his late teens. He does a stellar remix of a more recent Nomad/King Kapisi track called P O W E R. It certainly lives up to its name, full cosmic energy, with Kapisi’s commanding vocals upfront over an intense DnB delivery.

Later on side B comes yet another club classic from 2014 Put On Ya Turban Feat. Dexta Malawi. And we get two versions of this one – a dense rethink by Dub Terminator and an equally super stomper by Danny De Amor. I wonder what these would be like mixed together or as a progression?

The final track, Destinations, from 2010, I think, is remixed by none other than Mr Greg Churchill, no less, is a beauty. It’s an old skool style dance banger. Perfect beats for the gym, a run or the dance floor. Loved it. This one is on high rotate in the car, too. Even the dog’s nodding along in time with it.

There’s plenty more I haven’t covered here. Those were just the highlights. But if you are lucky enough to get hold of the vinyl, high quality, 180 pressing then protect it with your life. This collection is worth its weight in sound.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  The Boondocks
• 8
  Late to Chelsea
• 9
  Springloader
• 10
  Baconfoot

• 
  Nadia Reid @ Loons, Lyttelton - 16/11/2024
• 
  Pull Down The Sun @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Elidi @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Infinity Ritual @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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