TuneLab
ALEXANDER NUT eclectic vinyl set in The Lab LDN
There's a special kind of joy in watching Alexander Nut flip through vinyl in The Lab LDN, knowing each selection will be a leftfield gem that sends us down a rabbit hole of Discogs searches. The vibe is warm and scholarly, like a late-night record shop session where the boundaries between funk, Afrobeat, and electronica blissfully blur. This eclectic set glides at an average 121 BPM, with the bright, major key of 12A dominating to maintain a joyful, danceable coherence across global sounds.
Nut's technical approach is all about feel and flow, using smooth transitions that honor the original recordings' dynamics rather than forcing them into a rigid electronic grid. The energy balance leans mid-range, allowing melodic intricacies and vocal harmonies to shine, while the low-end provides a steady, infectious groove. His crate digging is legendary: Eddie Palmieri's 'Que Suene La Orquesta' opens with Latin jazz fervor, while Rim Kwaku Obeng's 'International Funk' closes with highlife-inspired buoyancy.
In between, deep cuts like The Lijadu Sisters' 'Orere Elegjigbo' offer Nigerian Afro-rock psychedelia, and Manu Dibango's 'Electric Africa' bridges continents with its synth-driven pulse. The inclusion of Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time' remix by Bent Collective is a witty, heartstring-tugging moment that only Nut could pull off. From the orchestral salsa of the opening track, through the cosmic funk of Domu's 'Save It', to the closing global bounce, this live set is a masterclass in vinyl curation for the curious dancer.