3 out of 5

Label: Rephlex

Produced by: Global Goon

I would’ve bought this album back in the early 00s, and despite being a proponent of ‘z’-ing words, up until literally today – a day in 2023 – I’ve been pronouncing the title as nit-ez, when it occurs to me… it’s probably ‘nights.’ I sense Global Goon – Johnny Hawk – would’ve been okay with that.

From that era of the Rephlex stable, this album always stuck with me. I had a tough time tracknig down Goon’s other Rephlex releases at the time, but would later rediscover their catalogue thanks to releases on other labels I’m into, reigniting a relistening frenzy for this disc. That rating may not be suggestive of such a positive experience, but Vatican Nitez’s “averageness” is one of its most enduring qualities: this is caught somewhere between chill and kitschy bop; it’s emotional, but dancey. Distanct, but warm. The beats are fairly standard fare, and there’s nothing especially disarming about it, except that Goon squiggles odd synths atop it, or polishes up an insanely nuanced bit of drumming, or lets the production fuzz and fade at various points. I tend to get lost in the album’s middle, as beats and short, 40-second glances of ambience blend together – admittedly why it’s maybe a 3 instead of a 4 – yet I would never consider this background music. Hawk is, rather, content to wow you from the sidelines, not playing for the dancefloor or the intelligensia.

That said, Nitez’s openings and closings are otherworldly. The beginning of the experience cuts a line between Aphex’s Ambient Works chill and the more paced and spacey work found scattered on the Astrobotnia releases; closer Globy Dubes, Champeen Of All Americky – a funny title, no doubt – is one of the more straight-faced things here, dabbling in futurism that sits cutely with the cartoonish cover art. The album’s middle stretches out across head-bobbing, downtempo rhythms and soft drums, Goon frequently employing a fade-out-and-return at the end of every track that somewhat contributes to the blending feeling – songs that never end, and instead just slightly morph to introduce a new spring in your step.

Other big names from the Rephlex roster were splashier in their own ways; Goon started out kind of in Ovuca / DMX Krew territory, leaning more toward playfulness, and that’s maintained here, but matured with an enduring – to this day! – sense of cool, totally befitting the ‘z’-ing up of its title, baby.