Let's Go Out West

Both members of the Bristol, England duo Way Out West — Jody Wisternoff and Nick Warren — have become international star DJs in their own right. But it's in this twosome that they really sparkle as creators of warm, expansive dance music that knows few genre bounds. At Way Out West's inception in the mid-/late-'90s, progressive house had just completed its ascent to the top of the electronic pile. As such, the early tracks featured many of that genre's hallmarks - slowly building, then crescendoing, rhythms, enveloping, persistent synths, and, often, soulful female vocals.

But Wisternoff and Warren were always creative on the low end, mixing in slightly harder beats than one would find on the usual prog-house hit. Their first bona fide UK chart hit, "The Gift," was a work of atmospheric breakbeats whose drums owed more than a little to the early days of jungle. Both members of the Bristol, England duo Way Out West — Jody Wisternoff and Nick Warren — have become international star DJs in their own right. But it's in this twosome that they really sparkle as creators of warm, expansive dance music that knows few genre bounds. At Way Out West's inception in the mid-/late-'90s, progressive house had just completed its ascent to the top of the electronic pile. As such, the early tracks featured many of that genre's hallmarks - slowly building, then crescendoing, rhythms, enveloping, persistent synths, and, often, soulful female vocals.

In the ensuing years, Way Out West reined in their more airy, out-there tendencies in favor of almost-pop structures, landing them soundtrack spots on TV shows like Grey's Anatomy and The O.C. Still, the dance floor - or at least the chill-out room - is where these guys belong, as evidenced on their new single, "Only Love." It's a big-room tune with a bit of a tribal swagger, is a hit with longtime Way Out West fans, and is the lead single from the pair's forthcoming new album, We Love Machine. Take note: Saturday's gig at Shine at the Shelborne is an actual live performance by Way Out West, not a DJ set, so it's a rare treat.
Sat., Sept. 19, 2009