Nail - Cassiopeia

Mysticisms’ is delighted to reissue Nail’s timeless debut release, Cassiopeia.  Appearing on the DiY Collective’s ‘Strictly 4 Groovers’ compilation album for Warp Records in 1993, the original appears as a stand alone at last and is backed with a specially created 2019 Remix.

Starting in 1989 and centered around Nottingham, the collective, also known as DiY Sound System, were a focal point for the burgeoning house scene in the midlands.  Promoting an alternative take on post-acid house’s creeping commercialisation, DiY kept to simple ethos of good music and a good party and were at the forefront of the new Free Party movement.  

Alongside parties, the collective set up a studio and label and young Neil Tolliday was introduced by in-house engineer Damian Stanley. ‘Nail’ was born and during studio downtime, the 18 year old wrote Cassiopeia around the S1000 sampler, Juno 106, Oberheim Matrix 1000 and Roland SH101.   

Cassiopeia became the stand out inclusion on the compilation and rightly, is still  highly prized. Fitting in and outside the Deep House vibe DiY were known, it fuses elements of ambient and even trance, with a beautiful arpeggio and vocal sample atop simple, but killer bass line and claps.  Tolliday’s 2019 Remix is a fitting accompaniment, stretching towards dub techno before house kicks back perfectly for today’s heads.  

Bounce the Mystery.