With a gourmet appetite for the finest cuts, James Monro sees the music that moves him as "soul food". Now providing a two-course feast for Proton Music, "Nectar" slakes the thirst with the sweetest of tastes.

Born in the UK but now firmly settled in his adopted Brazilian homeland, James Monro's love affair with the music industry spans three decades. A classically trained musician drawing early inspiration from the sounds of Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno and Jean Michel Jarre, Monro's love for the sounds of disco and hip-hop soon opened the door into a "passionate relationship with electronic dance music".

Setting up the fabled Flying Rhino Records in the mid 90s with two colleagues before finding further success through the 4digitalAudio imprint with co-owner, Grant Collins, Monro's business prowess is considerable. This, combined with burgeoning production talent, has left him with a keenly sought after set of skills and a reputation within the tastemakers of the underground dance scene that has been well earned. A steady stream of global DJ appearances at numerous high-profile events adds further to his mystique. 

An artist with a number of production monikers to his name, success has been a constant companion. Work for John Digweed's "Structures 2" album under Midnight Ramblers saw "Scarab" charted at number one by the likes of Nick Warren and supported by Cattaneo, Babicz and Digweed himself, while A regular on Flow Records since 2004, saw March 2015's "Solid State" EP firmly illustrating Monro's musical heritage in the 'true' trance genre.

2013's "Fonik" EP forms the centrepiece of a Proton Music career that has also included remixes of Juan Deminicis and Tim Penner while a recent remix of Derek Howell for Particles has been a notable highlight. Now James Monro returns to Proton with another original offering in the shape of the outstanding "Nectar".

The title track itself is full of the "deep, hypnotic and emotional" characteristics that define Monro's work. A rhythm section chock full of big beats and rolling percussive groove provide a bedrock from which a series of melodic phrases fire off each other, cascading in myriad directions while a throbbing sub bass provides low-end abundance. The result is a dance floor gem that works very hard indeed.

Partner track, "Serum" is a near ten-minute voyage of discovery through shimmering plucked chords that beat out a sublime emotive rhythm through chord progression and metronomic regularity. A rasping bass line provides substance and depth while a subtle guitar riff gives pause for reflection before the massed ranks of rhythm, bass and melody arrive once more in full force. Make no mistake, "Serum" provides an injection of pace that is a joy to behold.

Delivering sustenance through his musical ambrosia, James Monro's "Nectar" has is food and drink fit for the Greek gods themselves.

Directed by Jay Epoch
A&R by James Warren
Mastered by James Monro
Design by Ben Mautner
Text by James Warren

Nectar

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James Monro - Nectar (Radio Edit)

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