Smokers Delight

Just interesting enough to grab you as far as trip hop goes. I really enjoyed this on in the background, which I imagine would also be wonderful under certain influences.

4.5/10

Blind album and artist. This made me lose braincells, instrumental reggae is a hard pass for me after the 1st track of trying this...

This was ok, apparently I have a soft spot for trip hop. Even wondered about giving it a 4, but I can’t quite imagine being in the mood for it as opposed to it being unexpectedly listenable.

# Smokers Delight by Nightmares On Wax: In-Depth Review Released in 1995 on Warp Records, *Smokers Delight* stands as one of the defining albums of the downtempo and trip-hop era. Created by George Evelyn (a.k.a. DJ E.A.S.E.) after the departure of his original bandmates, this sophomore effort transformed Nightmares On Wax from a bleep-era techno outfit into a pioneering force in chilled, sample-based hip-hop production. --- ## Production & Sound Design George Evelyn crafted *Smokers Delight* in relative isolation, working from his cold Leeds flat using an Atari ST computer and an Akai S950 sampler . The album took a full year to clear all its samples before Warp could release it—a testament to Evelyn's crate-digging approach and the dense layering of borrowed sounds. The production philosophy was deeply rooted in instrumental hip-hop traditions. Evelyn himself rejected the "trip-hop" label, writing "This is not trip hop!" in the album's liner notes . He saw the record as continuing the lineage of instrumental hip-hop tracks from compilations like *Hip Hop On Wax*, rather than something entirely new. The inspiration came partly from listening to The KLF's *Chill Out* album while "tripping on acid," which gave him the idea to create "a hip-hop chill-out album that would be a trip and journey" . The sound palette is warm and organic, blending: - **Jazz and soul samples** (including a prominent Quincy Jones sample on "Nights Introlude" that required Evelyn to write a two-page letter to clear ) - **Dub and reggae influences** reflecting Evelyn's sound system culture background - **Hip-hop breakbeats** and boom-bap rhythms - **Ambient textures** and spatial effects that create a hazy, immersive atmosphere Notably, the album lacks the "crunchy and lofi" aesthetic of contemporaries like Massive Attack or Portishead . Instead, it maintains a cleaner, more polished sound that some critics have described as almost "too clean" or "on the grid" compared to later instrumental hip-hop innovations by J Dilla or DJ Shadow . --- ## Lyrics & Vocals *Smokers Delight* is predominantly an instrumental album. When vocals do appear, they function as textural elements rather than narrative drivers—snippets of dialogue, sampled phrases, or wordless melodic lines that drift in and out of the mix like half-remembered conversations. The album's "lyrical" content exists more in the spaces between sounds. Track titles like "Nights Introlude," "Dreddoverboard," "Pipes Honour," and "Gambia via Vagator Beach" evoke specific moods and locations without needing explicit verses. The vocal samples that do appear—such as the echo-y voice saying "man" on certain tracks—serve as rhythmic punctuation rather than storytelling devices . This instrumental focus was deliberate. Evelyn wanted to create music that worked as "a trip and journey," where the listener's imagination could fill in the narrative gaps . --- ## Themes & Concept The album's title and reputation have led many to dismiss it as merely "stoner music" or functional background sound . However, this underestimates its conceptual depth. **The After-Hours Experience**: The record captures a specific temporal and emotional space—the liminal hours after raves ended, when adrenaline subsides into contemplative calm. Evelyn created the album from cassette loops he used to play for friends during post-rave hangouts, documenting a genuine subcultural ritual of the early '90s UK dance scene . **Social Context**: Evelyn has spoken about how the music emerged from "social pressures" and the "cracks in society" visible during Thatcher's Britain. The soulful, escapist quality of the album was, in his words, a cry for expression against systematic manipulation . It served as an "antidote to years of Thatcherite Britain" and the perfect soundtrack for a generation coming down from the heady days of rave . **Cultural Fusion**: The album represents a distinctly Black British musical identity, weaving together the sounds that shaped Evelyn's Leeds upbringing—dub, dancehall, lovers' rock, smooth soul, and hip-hop—into what one critic called "as elegant an expression of black British music as Sade and Soul II Soul" . --- ## Influence & Legacy *Smokers Delight* has grown substantially in stature since its modest initial release. Through word-of-mouth rather than major promotional budgets, it became "the word" within six months of touring . **Genre Impact**: Alongside Massive Attack's *Blue Lines* and Portishead's *Dummy*, the album is cited as a pivotal work in establishing the downtempo and trip-hop sound of the mid-'90s . It helped define the "chill-out" room aesthetic that became standard in clubs worldwide. **Production Influence**: The album influenced countless producers working in instrumental hip-hop, downtempo, and lounge music. Its sample-based approach and warm, organic sound design can be traced through to later movements like chillwave and lo-fi hip-hop . **Cultural Permeation**: The record's ubiquity in "swish bars, funky hotels and relaxed ambiance" has been both a blessing and a curse—while it introduced millions to downtempo sounds, its very success as background music has sometimes obscured its artistic merits . --- ## Pros | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Atmosphere** | Creates an immersive, warm, and genuinely transportive listening experience that few albums match | | **Production Craft** | Impeccable sample selection and mixing—every element is precisely placed for maximum relaxation and groove | | **Cohesion** | The album flows exceptionally well as a continuous listen, functioning as a genuine "journey" from start to finish | | **Timelessness** | Despite being firmly rooted in the mid-'90s, the production quality and musical selections have aged remarkably well | | **Historical Significance** | A cornerstone document of UK electronic music's evolution from rave to more contemplative sounds | | **Versatility** | Works equally well for focused listening or as atmospheric background music | --- ## Cons | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Length** | At 74 minutes with multiple tracks exceeding five minutes, it can test the patience of listeners seeking variety | | **Repetition** | The hypnotic, loop-based approach can feel monotonous to some listeners, particularly during attentive listening | | **Lack of Dynamic Range** | By design, the album avoids dramatic shifts in energy or mood, which some find creates a static, passive listening experience | | **"Background Music" Perception** | Its very success as ambient sound has led to it being dismissed as "aural wallpaper" or "hotel lobby music" by detractors | | **Vocal Absence** | Those seeking traditional song structures or lyrical content may find the instrumental focus limiting | --- ## Verdict *Smokers Delight* is a paradoxical album—celebrated for its chill-out functionality yet artistically sophisticated in its construction; dismissed by some as background music while others recognize it as a fearless, original statement. George Evelyn created something that was "in completely uncharted territory" at the time, and as he noted, "the price of originality" was not knowing if anyone would join him on that island . Twenty-five years later, the album remains a touchstone for downtempo production and a perfect document of a specific cultural moment—the comedown from Britain's rave revolution. Whether you hear it as sophisticated instrumental hip-hop, stoner ambience, or timeless after-hours music depends largely on your listening context. But its influence on electronic music's quieter corners is undeniable, and its best moments—particularly the opening "Nights Introlude"—rank among the most beautiful productions of the 1990s. **Rating Context**: While some listeners find it essential (5/5) and others find it boring (1-2/5), the consensus among electronic music historians positions it as a significant, if not flawless, achievement—roughly 3.5-4/5 for general listeners, higher for fans of the genre .

Kaffee-Corner Musik für mich, glaub 2 Lieder die ich "ok" fand. Sonst x-beliebig für mich.

2/5 Hintergrundmusik. Nervt nicht, ist aber auch nix besonderes.

Elevator music. No idea how this made the list 😅

Completely fine background music

ik kijk nog liever naar alle seizoenen van alle versies van Big Brother van over de hele wereld, onafgebroken na elkaar... dat lijkt me minder vervelend dan naar dit te luisteren

Música de ascensor o lo que te ponen cuando esperas por teléfono pero me ha parecido chulisimo

This was pretty fun and chill, I will admit. I'm not usually one for DJ albums but this was alright. However I will also add that after it ended, other songs auto-played and I had no idea that the album had finished, haha. Not sure if that's a demerit against the album. But I also can't really say I have a favorite track, as they all kinda blended together for me.

Contact the main video game companies(Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft), and tell them to listen to this album. Every track sounds like a video game menu theme, intro theme, or town theme. Seriously. It can't hurt, because listening to this for over an hour straight gets a little stale. Favorite Track: "Wait A Minute/Praying For A Jeepbeat".

hip-hop electronica Favorite track: Groove st other picks: nights interlude, dreddoverboard, rise

This reminds me of the bar Departure in Portland, OR Nice vibe-y background music, but not sure it's worthy of this list; it's so forgettable.

Nice one. Instrumental

OK album, not the best from nightmares on wax's catalogue. 3/5

Listened previously. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - I like this album. I don't think it's mindblowing and there is other stuff in a similar vein that I enjoy more, but every track here is just quite good.

Listening to this made me feel like I was having legitimate nightmares on wax.

I’m sorry but this is elevator music

- Pretty nice background listening - Nothing really stood out (in a good or bad way)

I almost hate to say it but this is pretty decent. It feels like background music but it hits a groove and in the right situation I could enjoy this being on. It's not a masterpiece and not a cornerstone of music, but it does have an element of what makes music an art and with 1,001 albums, a few like this make sense.

Not what I expected after seeing the album cover and title. Chill vibes, no obnoxious vocals. This is a fine album. You would get your money's worth with it. That being said the original Donkey Kong Country soundtrack deserves to be on this list.

Got a little boring after a while.

I really dig this album, but not really sure why it's on the list. Great beats and melodies to jam around to, but nothing really stood out - just seems like a well produced DJ/mixtape

Really enjoyed this as background music. Good to listen to on the tube while reading my book. Did mean I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the individual songs either time I listened to it. Not sure if I would listen again, but I might return to it if I need to focus on something and want background music playing. Fav song: Stars Least fav: Groove St. - Smokers Delight Original Version

Thought I hated ambient music but j actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Mellowed me out on the tube. Specific rating - 4.1 Fav song - stars Least fav- Gambia via vagator beach

I had to listen so many times because I kept just forgetting it was playing and tuning out. As soon as I did anything else I forgot to keep listening. Fine line between chill and boring. Favourite song: Rise Least: (Man) Tha Journey

come on, the best album I've listened to so far, the production is quiet and helps me calm down and makes a nice sound in my ears

I knew of this by reputation but had never dipped into it… It was alright but I found myself drifting a little bit - it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t anywhere near as innovative as I might have expected.

Ordinarily the kind of album I like and nights introlude is a great song but this ran on for much too long with too little variety to keep things interesting. There’s a lot going on the bass but precious little in the treble range and so a lot of it felt like a backing track for something else and meant it felt like something was missing as a result. A little disappointing.

When I tell you I had zero idea of what to expect with this album, I mean I had ZERO idea of what to expect. What I got was a chill and enjoyable mix of electronic music and reggae. This is one of those "file away for future use" records. It was fine in the usual environment I listen to these records (on my morning commute/setting up my classroom) but it would have been made even better if I was chilling on a beach, getting high, hosting a party, or some combination of those. As it stands it gets a 3/5 maybe leaning more to a 3.5 but an easy 4 given then right circumstances.

smoke on

I remember back in the day first hearing this album when it was one of the half dozen CDs sitting around at Brighton Backpackers when I worked and lived there in 2002. Since we only had a few CDs, we played it all the time. It definitely brings fond memories as a result--takes me back. 5/5

Not what I expected from the name of the album, but it wasn't bad. I can always listen to some downtempo jazz.

I'm not against this type of music; I enjoy beats like this and I love a lot of ambient music that is meant to kinda hang out in the background, but this just does not feel like it has the same amount of soul as what I am used to. Doubt I'll really be coming back.

Boring and forgettable

This was album that was playing in the background of a lot of parties in the old days! So have definitely heard before. Was never my favourite genre, a bit too 90s and laid back. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: No 59/234 (24%) Will I get: Maybe

Very chill.

Some interesting stuff here, but it fades nicely into the background and goes on a bit long.

Some chill ass beats. Feels like a video game soundtrack at points

Rätt ointressant

Artistens namn, namnet på albumet och illustrationen på omslaget gav mig tre helt olika förväntningar om hur det skulle låta och vad jag sen faktiskt fick var ytterligare något helt annat. Kan inte kalla det dåligt, men världens bakgrundsmusik som jag knappt märkte att jag lyssnade på, och har svårt att säga varför jag skulle välja just det här albumet för.

Inga individuella låtar som lämnar ett särskilt starkt intryck men som helhet och framförallt bakgrundsmusik så är det toppen, och jag tackar inte nej till bra bakgrundsmusik!

Oväntat nice som bakgrundsmusik, tröttnade inte ens fast albumet var så långt.

An ok album but not one you have to listen to before you die

This album is spell binding. I listened to it twice. Subtle and chill.

Not really for me, but certainly sounds like the mid 90s in this genre.

Random inclusion from a group nobody has heard of. Alright instrumental listen but is not anything special compared to most of the albums from the generator.

Man, you must really have to be a smoker to get any delight from this, because I didn't get much. Smokers Delight is definitely one of the albums of all time. It sure does exist all right. Yeah, I found this one pretty boring. It works decently well as background music, I'll give it that, but you try focusing on this thing and analyzing it as I have tried to do for all of these albums and you're gonna have a real hard time finding anything noteworthy to say. The production is kinda nice for the most part, but there's basically nothing memorable here. And of course the album goes on for too long, because why wouldn't it? I'll admit that this is probably a case of me not being the target audience for this, so I can't really give it too low of a score, but I also just don't care for it. It's fine. Low 3/5.

Lively little lo-fi vibed thing that I let play in the background all through my afternoon at a computer. I will keep this one on my playlist.

It's chill but not my style.

Half ideas, background music, not great.

Shit delight

Favorite Track: Cruise (Don't Stop)

A little less annoying to me than most “dance“ music. He kept the tracks short and the beats interesting. Blended nicely into the backdrop of my morning. Maybe not the effect he was hoping for, though.

Perhaps smokers delight in this repetitive, banal album, but I was ready to move on 40 minutes in. That I had to endure more that 30 more minutes is nearly unforgivable.

This album was trippy, and groovy and so cool and fun to listen to. I really appreciated this.

It is kind of background music. I’m a little underwhelmed, but honestly, I might listen to this while studying some time. Mid 3

New to me. Enjoyed

My god

I have never taken the drugs that make this alright music. Tedious and repetitive.

Instrumentals - check. Cool samples recognition - check. Background / elevator / long car music - check. What more can an honest man who hates singing ask for?

Some totally serviceable background music for your turn-of-the-millenium lounge bar/ airline / salon.

I totally prejudged based on the cover image but it surprised me, and actually enjoyed this way more than expected to.

Vibes

I really don't know what to make of this tbh. I felt like it had some good ideas but other parts just really seemed to meander along. Weird experience.

It was like bad elevator music or on hold music.

a bit long but cooler than i expected, nice atmospheric listen for a working afternoon

This is just background music that would play if someone puts you on hold. The album wasn’t a pain to get trough so im that is why I won’t give it a 1.

To me, Smokers Delight is perfect background music. It's laid back, sparsely instrumented, and doesn't demand your attention. That being said, if you try to actively listen to it, you'll probably be bored out of your mind. In order to truly enjoy it, you've probably got to be stoned out of your mind, which I'm not, so I found this album to be pretty alright. I really like the instruments they chose, and honestly enjoy the vibe it offers. Most electronic music tends to be grating and annoying for me, but this one's pretty smooth and nice. It's a bit long, but once again, listen to it in the background (but still pay some attention), and it alleviates a lot of the tediousness of listening to a 75 minute (mostly) instrumental background music album. I really liked "Bless My Soul", I liked the sound it had. Favorite Song: "Bless My Soul"

Not available in my country

Enjoyable for general background chill vibes

Okay. Good.

A more boring Moby. This 1.25 hours of hold music requires some drugs to enjoy. I don’t know which sort of drugs, all I know is I don’t have any of them.

I liked this initially, but it started to get repetitive after a while. It was a little like Moby on Valium.

Low ride good background music

Great background music at work, love hearing some of the songs that have been sampled elsewhere

Their first album was rough & ready, but had a charm and reflected the exciting evolution dance music in the UK, particularly in the north, was going through. This is better produced by comparison, but it’s not no heart.

Background music

Too long it’s just fine

Fell asleep whilst listening, dreamt I was stuck in a lift.

I grew up with this album. Electronic music really hit its stride in the late 90’s and NoW was a huge part of laying the groundwork for what was to come in the downtempo, dub and ambient genres. Excellent album!

It's only February man sorry

Meh. Not nearly as interesting as the cover suggests. I quite literally fell asleep listening to this album... That said, it's not offensive in its blandness. It gets the three stars of "meh" mediocrity.

Way too long and boring, but I gave it +1 star because I am in a good mood. This was my last album. I AM FREE!

inoffensive vibey music, no standouts.

Too repetitive and too muzak-adjacent for me. I like a bit of edge in my trip-hop and I doubt even an altered state as per the title would make this sound any less cheesy to my ears. Even for 1995 this sounds out of date. It's a year after Massive Attack did some cutting edge things with a very similar sound palette on Protection, so I can't even really see the appeal of this historically.

Visst, skönt i hissen, men... gjort av AI?

Good music for a long car ride

Feels like background music for a restaurant inside a shopping mall at nighttime or something

(1/7) maybe it sounds better if you're stoned?

The music consisted of smooth beats that never did anything to catch my attention or cause a reaction. I would equate this to music you would hear in a coffee shop or bistro in 2008. Good for a background to a party I guess.

Some solid instrumental hip hop.

Solid album, very interesting. 5.3/10

Pointlessly long and repetitive.

Started off great but turned kinda meh midway through

The album title sums up what state you need to be in to enjoy/endure this. There are interesting enough samples but really this is an album that can be left well alone. Too quiet and not memorable enough when it stirs

I don’t really get why this is on here, but is good background music.

well, it sure does seem like it would be rly nice if ur stoned! and probably rly good background music for a variety of other activities (even the entry in the book seems to be listing things it could be a good soundtrack for). i cant punish it too hard for doing what it wants to do but you'll forgive me if i struggle to care ab this much at all, even compared to some of my other underwhelming recent listens. not one of the weirdest inclusions in terms of pure quality but definitely in terms of function!

This is the type of album that I will put on and be like, meh, but then I remember to turn the volume up just to the point it starts to get a little uncomfortable, and voila! it sounds great. I do think this album could have been made shorter and punchier without losing the chill aspect.

A mellowed, psychedelic romp.

I had no idea what to expect from this, but I really enjoyed it.

che rottura

It’s not bad. Sounds like the kind of music you’d hear pumping in boutiques.

Dit is niet het meest uitgesproken album en het is ook niet een album wat je automatisch noemt als mensen vragen naar je favoriete triphop album, maar ik vind het wel lekker om aan te hebben staan. Ik snap dat het zich leent voor wachtmuziekgrapjes en hotel-lobby-opmerkingen, dat de commentsectie er vol mee staat vind ik toch wel wat flauw. Het is allemaal iets te langdurig en saai voor een monsterscore, maar ik vind dit zeker een lekker album voor tijdens het werken. 4 sterren.

90's Hipster Nightclub Music, Part MCXXVII

Coherent but different enough, flowy, groovy, vibey. A nice surprise

Great album to put on and unwind to. Downtempo dub inspired beats, heavy bass lines. Perfect evening or sunny afternoon

Good and funky, great music to cook to.

10/02/2026 1. nights introlude - okay... immediately a bit 808 state-y. nice bass. wasn't expecting this from the album cover, but am not complaining. not mad on the keyboard/piano solo. 90s hip hop easy listening? nice :) liking the sound of waves going into the next song.... *2. dreddoverboard - real nice bass again. reminds me of something and i don't know what.... bass is frying my ears even though it's not that loud... ooooooh beat drop. anyways may have to turn it down a bit :( trumpet!!! reaaallly loving this one. think it might be reminding me of voodoo ray a bit? still don't know what i was thinking of. 3. pipes honour - starting to get a bit concerned about the length of this album... liking it but not sure how long i'll keep liking it for. more reggae influence... love the synth just before 1:30... very groovy. drums are nice. falling asleep rn.... kindof helping me enjoy it though.... trancey.... *4. me and you - really sweet at the start. bass is still great! short and sweet!!! woken me up.. 5. stars - liking how the songs fade into one another... beat on this one is great. echoey noises are kinda psychedelic... loving the vocal samples. think i kinda actually fell asleep through this. unconsciously enjoyed it though. too repetitive for me when i'm sleepy. *6. wait a minute/praying for a jeepbeat - bass has woken me up. sooo great! tempo change woke me up again. loving this one. actually fell asleep so listening to half of this one again. *7. groove st. - already listened to half lol. thought it was just another change up. like the vibe of this one. bass reeeaaal nice. 8. time (to listen) - literally 25 seconds... 9. (man) tha journey - keep falling asleep throguhout this album, so maybe not the most accurate rating tonight... trying to stay awake again, but can't really help it. liking this one again. like the tambourine? 10. bless my soul - loving the intro... not enjoying jt as much when i have to fight the urge to stay awake... noticing more just how repetitive everything is now. 11. cruise (don't stop) - not helping the dreamy mood. nice :) getting a bit tired of this and beginning to get just boring repetitive *12. mission venice - really liking the start. gets right into it. shorter than the last few songs, stops it feeling as overly long and repetitive. 13. what i'm feelin (good) - bass has been great through this whole album. kindof sounds like the ringing facetime sound on whatsapp. didn't like it as much as the others, but wouldn't complain if it was on in the background :) 14. rise - getting very sleepy again.... nice ambient track. 15. rise (reprise) - literally more of the same as the previous track.... as much as i've enjoyed it, i am very excited for it to end. 16. gambia via vagator beach - more focus on the drums... didn't enjoy as much as the other songs, but def need to give a relisten when i'm not falling asleep again and can actually concentrate. repeatedly falling asleep during this actually really helped this one for me. the way all the tracks drifted into one another helped lull me to sleep until the drums got loud or something and i woke up in the middle of the next track(s)... very fever dream ish. did have something to do after listening to this that i now don't have time for bc i spent an hour (don't know where that went?) being asleep. makes rating it a bit hard bc i don't remember half of it very well, but think i enjoyed it when i was asleep? did get a bit long and repetitive when i forced myself to stay awake towards the end, but maybe that was just coming to the end of an overly long album.... absoutely need to give this a proper relisten some time :)

Never found it's groove

Reminds me a YouTube playlist to code to

It was alright. Was getting a tad bored towards the end but it worked well as good background music while working.

There is definitely something here worth listening to, but need to be in the right mood. Trip hop is not the one when full of cold

Nice, mellow, instrumental music with reggae vibes - highly enjoyable

No Notable Textzeile (Obwohl es ein paar Samples gibt) Hat mich sehr schläfrig gemacht, nicht auf eine gute Art. Ist weniger hart nervig als absolut repetitiv und überflüssig. Schade um ein weiteres interessantes Album dass keine Platz auf der Liste hatte wegen diesem und anderem Kram.

Like if techno and Caribbean island soft rock created an offspring. Great deep bass. In vein of "Riders on the Storm" (Fredwreck Remix)

en af de albums jeg har lyttet til på forkant fordi jeg blev så caught op i big beat og electronisk musik vel også en smule triphop efter jeg havde lyttet til Chemical brothers og noget andet. Så ville jeg gerne høre noget af samme genre og selvom jeg ikke ved om det hører under præcis samme, så var det stadig godt. Jeg kan ærlig talt ikke huske det, så jeg burde nok lytte til det igen. Det gør jeg faktisk lige. Det kan faktisk også være det var efter Endtroducing.... okay det var rigtig fint, godt album. Det er sådan noget trip hop down tempo agtig noget, sådan lidt jazzet også ville jeg sige selv. fede beats og gode melodier, men det er godt nok ikke sådan et wow moment for mig. Men altså det er sgu godt hvis man skulle lytte til noget lækkert musik om morgenen til en god kop kaffe og mega chill out. Så er det helt spitze. Når jeg forestiller mig sådan et setting får den faktisk rimelig højt score. Det giver virkelig følelsen af at alt går stille og roligt og byen soven. også lidt sidequest agtig

Very fine music for playing while you do other stuff.

Heel aangename achtergrondmuziek

Heel leuke vibes

I feel this hasn't aged very well. A bit boring ino

Not sure why there is so many extremely low scores and reviews for this album. It's really enjoyable, great beats and extremely creative. That being said it did drag on after a while. The album feels way too long, several songs were super drawn out, and I'm unsure how it qualifies as an album you should hear before you die. It's good, but I'm failing to understand how it is considered to be THAT good. Because it's really not.

Quite liked this

Not for me but good

Its such a specific feeling, but it feels like a game soundtrack rom the lobby you've never listened to fully, you just let the game stay on a front screen and the music goes on and I t gains momentum and new sound and its soooo cool Highkey fire

1/10

Great album

Bong rips not included.

From the opening bars, "Smokers Delight" promises a chilled, dreamy odyssey, but it fails to hold the attention for long. The primary hurdle is the sheer scale: at 74 minutes, with eight tracks exceeding the five-minute mark, the album’s downbeat nature begins to test one’s patience by the fifth track. 'Pipes Honour', for instance, feels unnecessarily bloated. While pleasant enough initially, the album is, by design, the antithesis of music that I prefer. I value energy and shifting dynamics; this record is deliberately repetitive, static, and passive. Ultimately, it lacks the variety and beauty required to sustain its runtime. Two Stars. 1 "Nights Introlude" (3/5) 2 "Dreddoverboard" (3/5) 3 "Pipes Honour" (3/5) 4 "Me + You" (3/5) 5 "Stars" (2/5) 6 "Wait a Minute/Praying for a Jeepbeat" (2/5) 7 "Groove St." (2/5) 8 "Time (To Listen)" (2/5) 9 "(Man) Tha Journey" (2/5) 10 "Bless My Soul" (2/5) 11 "Cruise (Don't Stop)" (2/5) 12 "Mission Venice" (2/5) 13 "What I'm Feelin (Good)" (2/5) 14 "Rise" (2/5) 15 "Rise (Reprise)" (2/5) 16 "Gambia Via Vagator Beach" (2/5) Total - 36 Average - 2.25 233/1001 129/233 albums reviewed were new to me.

I wouldn't call it super interesting, but it's pretty decent as lounging around music. Definitely not active listening type album.

Trip-hop, chillout, downtempo creo que lo llaman. Pues bueno, te lo pones y mientras puedes ir haciéndote un bocadillo de nocilla, arreglando un enchufe o pintando una pared. Me temo que no soy de los de entrar en trance con unos cascos más allá de un pared de temas. Hay cierta monotonía aunque también se agradece que las melodías tengan su protagonismo. Tampoco es que entienda por qué es uno de los 1001 álbumes que haya que escuchar antes de palmarla. Pero para gustos, colores.

Corporate weed music. Fun. 3/5

This is… bland. I tried, I really did. There are some nice grooves here and I would start to warm to it. But then it would just go on and on and on. I suspect this may be designed for listening to while high, it’s the only half decent explanation I can come up with

I saw a lot of reviews referring to this album as background music, but I think to do that would be to dismiss the artistry and musicianship on display here. Each song has its own unique flavor and style and there's enough variation that goes on not just over the track listing, but on each individual's song that I think warrants attention. Honestly, I'm glad that this list introduced me to this album, even if I expected the music contained within to be a bit more intense based on the name Nightmares On Wax.

Completely unremarkable

Pretty chill stuff, as the name suggests. We liked this well enough, but it didn't stand out. Some cool sections but not enough to have us racing back.

izgleda da su ovo samo instumentali, sto je zapravo savrseno jer pisem seminarski iz fizike i treba mi fokus. 1001albumsgenerator are you spying on me? groovy bas u groovy st. - fitting. gotovo - nisam odusevljena. nista posebno nije lose, u tome i jeste problem, jer nije u pitanju nista posebno. postoji toliko pesama, a i albuma koji su iskljucivo instrumentali i koji imaju neverovatnu produkciju i koji kroz same instumente mogu da ispricaju pricu. ovo je samo glorifikovana lofi muzika da budem iskrena. nista ne fali da album bude tog zanra niti ista fali takvoj muzici, ali ne vidim razlog da ovo bude na listi albuma koje moras da cujes barem jednom u svom zivotu. ali jeste mi pomoglo da se fokusiram za pisanje seminarskog!

Eh

Having listened to a number of DJ-as-musical-artists throughout my time doing the challenge, one thing has become clear: the music they turn out is purely functional. That function might be dancing, or getting high, or doing the horizontal bop, but what this music is *not* designed for is close listening on earbuds. In that context, it becomes readily apparent that there's no meat to any of this, no heart to it at all. Unlike the music of Motown (for example) which was danceable *and* had deep emotional pull, this stuff is hollow and dull.

Bisschen zu flach, wenig inhalt

based on the reviews and me generally not being crazy about instrumentals i wasn't expecting to like this much but it was pretty groovy

"Thank you for the calling Generic Corporation customer service hotline. All of our operators are assisting other customers. Please stay on the line, and a representative will be with you shortly. Your call is very important to us." The album cover did not prepare me for listening to over an hour of hold music. 2 boring, inoffensive, non-intrusive stars.

Album #41 Nightmares on Wax: Smoker's Delight Four Kings Casinos and Slots ass music. There really is no reason for this album to go on as long as it does, without offering anything captivating. I guess that the point is to zone out and smoke to the album, but if that is the intended purpose, then why even include it on this list? Much like the Sabres of Paradise album I got earlier, I either just don’t like 90s techno, or the curator is making some very curious selections. Because, from what I gathe,r neither album seems to be particularly well-received. Either way, I guess this album is a must listen if you are a stoner in the mid-90s who is repulsed by the idea of substance in art. Overall, just painfully boring and unnecessary. Best Tracks: Nights Introlude, Stars, Mission Venica Worst Track: Pipes Honour Score out of 10: 3

While the title and cover hint at a certain... utility in the music, for me it was just an enchanting trip hop record. I listened to twice and loved—stone cold sober (maybe a little tired). A gem of a find for me.

I suspect this album is aptly named. Unfortunately I was listening during work hours so I didn’t get the full experience.

Decent listen

Is this week’s theme ‘90s coffee shops?

The greatest sin this album commits is that it’s boring. Every now and then it strikes me as interesting and then squanders that by just repeating itself over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Again.

It was OK and would’ve been a 3 if it were half as long. Got knocked down a star because I couldn’t not stop it early.

72 minutes. No thank you for the offer of this background music. Worse than that one HOLD music that nobody wants to hear. Ever. Again. ⭐⭐

Repetitive background. I put it on and then forgot about it while I read a book. Not something I actually needed to hear before I die.

Chill acoustic music. Great background noise.

Das meiste kannte ich schon vom Fahrstuhl

Wie schafft es Fahrstuhlmusik für Headshops in diese Liste?

Not my style, found this boring and not musical

Fine, I guess. Until I realized I was only 6 songs in and had over half way to go of just background vibes

Yeah this one’s going in the saves ✌️

Loved every track. It does overstay its welcome a teeny bit too long, but the loops have a good level depth and variety that makes it easy to lose track of the time anyways. Production and mixing are excellent. Instrumental albums are always a welcome change of pace from the overabundance of British slop on here.

Great chill album! Good for focusing. Despite the fact that it was created in 95, it still feels modern. High 4 to low 5

Nightmares is right

i wanted to shoot myself listening to this album 20 times. no more fuck ass instrumental albums. there is 0 need for a song to be over 6 minutes if there is no singing. 2/5

Dope. New to me!

Pri umývaní riadu je takáto hudba v poriadku, ale ja si v nej nenachádzam miesta, ktoré by som chcel počúvať detailnejšie, resp. opakovane.

Nice background music. No particular tracks stood out to me, but I mostly enjoyed the listen. It’s not impossible that I’d revisit.

This has elements of Massive Attack and Skream! but in a more mannered and jazzy way. No doubt it was fun at the time, especially if you were a weed smoker. It feels a bit bland now; pleasant enough but not very interesting.

Reasonably listenable electronica. A little repetitive at times, but OK as background music to listen to whilst doing other things.

achei a vibe gostosa para pedalar na bicicleta ergométrica, que foi o que eu fiz. agora no final da noite vou ouvir para ver se o colega dos 1001 discos estava correto e retorno para voces

achei gostosinho de ouvir mas é uma musiquinha de fundo que me chamou atenção de verdade em poucos momentos, tipo em pipes honour e groove st. meio música de cafeteria. tem seu valor!

pela capa, esperava alguma coisa tipo reggae ou dub. um tempero do último ele com certeza tem, só não esperava um trip-hop jazzístico. se alguém me falasse que é a música incidental de um filme blaxploitation dos 90 feito por um ex-membro do wu tang clan eu com certeza iria acreditar. gostei, mas senti que faltou algo, um groove, um je ne sais quoi.

no es el tipo de música que me guste, pero tiene buen ritmo

Chill music that fades into the background

This one got me into the zone at work.

4.1 3x catch up over multiple days 1/22. really enjoy this whole album, great to listen and work to.

Whatever. Another boring collection of samples.

Bo-Ring!

1⭐️ I am such a lyric/sing-a-long kinda gal, so this album did not do it for me; not my style at all. I tried really hard not to skip through songs.. but some of them I just found to be boring and long (one was 9 mins!) songs I already knew: n/a fave new song(s): me and you

I thought I’d listened to this before but I’m not so sure now. I’m a big fan of Carboot Soul which is the album that follows this and I also know the debut A Word of Science. The debut begins with Nights Interlude which is a great track, so much so that this album begins with a reworked version, Nights Introlude, and I’m fairly sure the opener to Carboot Soul is also a re-imagination of the same track, this time called Les Nuits. This album is good, I enjoyed it and hits the ambient chill out vibes that I like about Nightmares on Wax, which also combines hip hop / trip hop into the mix. However, I feel Carboot Soul is the better album and should be on the list in place of this. It’s more succinct, whilst the runtime of Smokers Delight is well beyond an hour and drags on slightly.

Ends this whole shabang with an absolute dog turd. What a ride it has been though. Realised I like hip hop and dad rock.

Excellent

Favorite track(s): Pipes Honour Made for good background music while reading, but maybe I don't slonk gang weed enough for this to stand out

A very pleasant triphop album, but definitely nothing worth writing home about. Might be the best elevator music ever written but it's still elevator music

Fine to do chores to. Good energy

il contesto in cui nasce quest’album è interessante e sapendo anche dell’influenza che ho avuto ero molto curiosa. ascoltare i primi brani infatti è stato un fatto, per esempio il basso in Stars è un fatto. però alla sesta traccia ho appeso perché non riesco a sentire una roba del genere molto a lungo.

Non sono riuscito a sentirlo tutto, non fa per me

This was a respectable chiller, although I did feel a lot of these songs went on much too long for their own good. Perhaps if I listened to it high while doing a jigsaw puzzle instead of under-caffeinated while commuting to work I would have felt differently though.

My opinions on this changed a bit as it went on. I do like chill, downtempo stuff like this, but the more it went on the more I got tired of it. While it still remained of a certain quality, it just became very repetitive by the end and was just way too long. I’d only been aware of this guy via a ‘LateNightTales’ compilation, so I’m glad I got to listen to a whole album at least. It’s not one to reach out and grab you, and it is overlong and kind of samey, but it’s also a nice listen for the most part.

This is not for me. If I want to chill out this much, I just won't put on music. Or I'll, go to sleep.

It takes you to a place for sure, unfortunately nowhere I want to be. The cover/title and font sure hints at something that it ain’t. It’s pure background. It is very, very, very repetitive. It’s deadly slow. It’s awfully long. I know someone made this but it is so electronic and lacking humanity. I found nothing captivating and really struggled to make it through, though I got there. 2 Star

joa ganz chill idk

Dull 90s dance

Its a very pleasant Album to listen to it. It has some very cool songs on it.

Not notable

I’ve listened to the opening track for years now and a couple other songs from this group so I had high expectations, but I wasn’t too pleased with the rest of the album. As ambient music, sure it works. Otherwise, listening to it was a bit of a chore.

Basic beats. Kinda boring honestly.

It's a very background chill 3 stars kind of album, and apart from the first track Nights Introlude not anything I can get excited about. But then I don't smoke weed.

It's a nice, chill vibe for over an hour. And that's it. There is nothing special about this album, and there are at least two others on here that are indistinguishable from this one. This is simply filler, which is terribly disappointing. Influence 1. Hits 1. Quality 4. Intangibles 1. It's fine; this is fine 3.

This one caught a lot of bad reviews, but it was pretty decent. Laid back, hazy, and easy to let run without needing to pay close attention. I can definitely see how this album would be even more delightful if you were smoking something while listening to it.

Every time a new song started I thought to myself “this is a cool idea” and then they repeated that same idea for 6 minutes. This formula went on for 74 minutes. I wanted to like this, I didn’t. Favorite song was Wait A Minute/Praying For A Jeepbeat.

chillll

This is the kind of music I like in general. Not heard this particular album before but I enjoyed it. Even so, I am not sure why it gets onto a list of albums like this. It seems somewhat unremarkable.

After my kvetching about yesterday’s instrumental lounge album that didn’t go over so well, I get an instrumental lounge album that I like slightly less, somehow. Some good things about this record are the use of electronics, some hints of dub, and how Smokers Delight isn’t trying to be a film score or anything too edgy. The problem with this album is also the inverse of yesterday - this thing got more snoozy as time went on. I had really high hopes for Smokers Delight, so maybe I’m feeling the letdown a bit, but this thing sat in the bad middle ground between neat beats and atmospheric ambiance. Lemme take “Bless My Soul” as my favorite for its groove that had an excellent pocket (thats definitely the same drumbreak from Da Funk) and how it varied/evolved over its 5+ minute runtime - it felt a bit like a cut from DJ Shadows Endtroducing! & “Gambia Via Gator Beach”? Not that’s a cool track. Needed more of that. What started out as a blissful lounge album turned into something wholly unreasonable to be put on a list that should illicit some level of active listening/analysis.

Been listening to this album forever. Enjoy the laid back vibes especially of the first half of the album

Decent.

Repetitive to the point of uninspired boredom, and overly long.. not the worst thing here, 2/5

Favorite track was pipes honour

Not sure why this is on the list other than the electronic and British over-representation. Not even a standout track here.

Sehr gute Unterhaltungsmusik.

Only managed a small amount of this one but it was just some ambient dance - nothing to get excited about

The music itself was ok aa background music. Not over an hour of it though Incredibly boring. Sounded like I was trapped in a lift while the music keeps playing 2 ⭐️

Not at all what the title seemed like..

Repetitive, and not at all was I what I was expecting from the name and album cover and the picture of the artist on Spotify.

I have never heard of this band before and that’s what makes this journey interesting. I really enjoyed this, it was like a lo-fi video game soundtrack. Had it on in work on Christmas Eve and everyone enjoyed the chill vibes.

Not my vibe

It’s a vibe but because of the length, this album became boring.

I don’t think I’ve heard this before but then I feel like I have round a friends smoky flat in the nineties. It’s a delight.

The best think about this album is the title. Spot freakin’ on. If I were stoned when I listened to this, I probably would’ve thought it was genius. I wasn’t.

Super duper chill. It’s like if jet set radio was a video game about chillin and Graffiti art instead of roller blading and graffiti art. This was a fantastic background music album. Some grooves, some head boppers, but it never ever dropped out of or exceeded the chill zone. Wasn’t too ambient, nor too distracting. Perfect balance between directly engaging and enabling a flow state throughout the day. I saved it on Spotify. Being very stingy with my 4s and 5s but this almost got a 4.

I genuinely don’t think anything really deserves a one on this list. Maybe this is the Mona Lisa of elevator music and there are people who are really into that. Criminal with this album cover and name that this isn’t reggae or ska. Just what a colossal waste of time for me musically. Nothing about this inspires creativity in me or a desire to make art. 30 minutes after listening to this and I couldn’t hum you back a single thing that happened in this album. It’s not devoid of value, it is probably the best thing in the world for someone specifically craving this, but that’s not me.

Background music, elevator music, it is soothing but also kinda boring... Pleasant to listen to while doing anything else not requiring you to actually listen... It's ok.

Vamos cerrando otro año más en éste reto y toca hoy nuevamente artista desconocido. Álbum sumamente chill, ideal para una cena, vinito mediante. Sin más para agregar, me despido hasta mañana. Será esta semana de tres días y luego se viene una pausa del resto hasta retomar el trabajo. Gracias

Mellow hip hop

I don’t remember listening to this but I know I did. I think it was technoy. 5/10

Really not too bad for an electronic instrumental piece. Not what I was expecting. Easy background music. Doesn’t belong on this list though. High 2+.

Ok 3/5

Büschen gedüdel

19/1089 I did not expect these chill, groovy beats and expected more "hits from the bong" vibes. Alas, this is reminiscent of Enigma. I enjoyed the album and would have loved another 10-15 minutes to finish it out. This will go on the playlist at any restaurant I'm asked to create a playlist. It would also work on a sunny day around a private pool with a bevy bikini-clad babes and cocktails.

Pleasant background music.

I don't doubt the amount of craftsmanship George Evelyn put into this, but it recedes into pleasant background music for me—like what I'd hear while I wait for the barista to prepare my cold brew. The 1,001 book boldly asserts, "Smokers Delight is one of those albums that everyone will ask about when they hear it playing. Then they will probably head out and buy their own copy the very next day." Maybe in the UK in the mid-'90s, but for me in 2025, I'll save a couple tracks to a playlist I have on while I'm working.

Electronic music with some reggae influences was a nice change but still not all that exciting

Sorry but this is a waste of time. You have to be really high to enjoy this. Smokers Delight if you will...

Endlose Wiederholungen

I'm starting to realise there is quite a lot of bring shite on this list. This is one such album...1 hour and 15 minutes of the same boring beat. Why is this essential?

I hadn't heard the album before but know a couple of the songs very well since they were popular on various compilations in the mid '00s. Depending on your mood and needs, this might help you focus or sleep. The chill vibe is not for everyone but I like it.

Really enjoyed this! I completely lost my prev review which is annoying, but generally I thought I would like it less than I do because it’s completely instrumental, however I ended up really vibing to it, especially as I kept listening to it. Instrumentals usually put me to sleep but I was able to listen to this album on the drive home with no problem! I really liked it, 8/10!

Mostly instrumentals, otherwise very soothing. I prefer music with vocals or I would rate it higher

Still great but not quite as amazing as I remember from when it released

Cool laid back vibe. Really enjoyed this & and will return to often.

9/10

meeehhhhh

chill tunes to zone too while you do whatever it is you happen to be doing while this album plays.

Interesting album, and not bad in any respect, but not really my thing.

Instrumental, buena vibra.

Disco muy aburrido. No me sirve ni de posavasos :’(

Good beats, good vibes. Digging this album!

Great album for productivity. Interesting sounds and upbeat. I was surprised to enjoy it this much.

This is the first artist I’ve gotten that I’ve never heard of at all. I was pretty excited to go in blind and the first track was great. Vibey stoner jams I can get down with that. Then it just kept going. The album was at its best when it stepped outside of those comfort zones like on “Mission Venice” and “What I’m Feeling(good)” 6/10 Favorite tracks- “Nights Introlude” “Mission Venice” and “What I’m Feeling(good)”

Belle musique de détente d’ascenseur ou hall d’entrée, un peu trop répétitif.

Musique que je qualifierais d'ascenseur.

"Le vestiaire est au fond à gauche, voici vos 2 billets pour vos consommations" je me sens dans un 5 à 7 de job. C'est d'adon dans la période des soupers de Noël. Mais c'est pas trop mon style, le lounge. Quoique je reconnais que ça sonne bien cet album.

Faudra j’écoute plus mais c’était de la musique d'arrière plan plus que d’autre chose… il existe mieux en ce sens

Good for cool, hip bar ambiance

Expected something more…interesting? weird? But it’s just nothing music, background in a trendy bar, michelin star, etc

I like trip hop but I have no idea how this nothingness could possibly have made the list when there's already been a decent amount of trip hop. It's just . . . there? Not terrible, but completely unmemorable.

I fully enjoyed the music, but the album is just too damn long.

Chill but not hugely engaging.

Bit a drag this. Some sort of dance, chill-out music that went on and on.

Interesting.

Good post club album I would think. And remember first track from that distant scenario. Mellow electronica. Definitely a place for this. Never strays into greatness though. In the wrong mood would be quite dull (occasionally). But some interesting diversions and not as wanky as a large chunk of Ibiza Chill dross out there. Close to a 4.

Cool and smooth. Didn't mind it at all, especially the first track

I was always more of a Carboot Soul man back in the day..just played them back to back and still came to that conclusion. This one seems to fade into the background a little more.

A different era a different me

3/5

- ai tää oli tämmöstä - emmä tiiä onks tää ollu jotenki uraauurtavaa aikoinaan mut nää samat biitit on nykyää joka kyläräppärin biiseissä

nice flow, like it.

Wow! Pleasantly surprised, was presuming with their band name they’d be heavy metal. Great music. Thanks

Good soundtrack of life album.

Album parfait pour se réveiller un dimanche matin (presque) enneigé

Pretty good ambient, sets a mood, but is it an album?

Sometimes an album hits just right. Mellow friday night vibes paired well with this one.

I don't get it. More blend than this, you get soup.

Yeah, pleasant enough.. but passes me by a bit

Interessant, aber nicht so meins

Seichtes Gedudel, das nicht meinen Geschmack trifft.

Hab mich bei denen schon immer gefragt, was der Hype soll. Das Album machts nicht besser … ungefähr so spannend wie die Demoversion von hip-hop-ejay 4 🐻

Die Idee ist ja hier schon, dass man sich "Mary Jane" zum Hören einlädt, gell? Gefällt mir aber auch so schon, für Trip Hop habe ich eine Menge übrig. Einen Ticken zu lang.

Very enjoyable ambientish, hip-hop like album, plays really well. Some parts feel a bit repetitive but otherwise it's a good one to have playing while doing things.

The whole thing starts to lull and dull after an hour, but it would make perfect background music in an Ian Schrager hotel lounge.

Sucks

Decent background music to work to. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Delightful vibes

When I was in college and had a big assignment due, I would find a playlist of epic soundtracks to put on while I worked. I remember LOTR, 300, and the Halo games had some good ones that I used. With that playing, I could churn out a half-dozen pages in no time. This album had a similar effect. By the time it was over, I realized I'd just researched and written 500 words about strategic maneuvers in the Revolutionary War's Chesapeake Bay naval battles. I kid, of course. But it really was pretty good music to have on while getting work done. I'm a little torn on it, since it was a pretty cool vibe for the background and I enjoyed the listen. I'm just not sure that makes it something that should be on the list. Overall: 2.25/5

Not high, don’t need background music for it.

Oh god sooooooo borrrrrringgggggggg

Elevator music if it was somehow less boring. Snoozzzzze

Why on earth is this on here. This is not for me. It's not offensive so it avoids a 1.

Loading screen music

Surprisingly good

Good background noise to work to. Great album art though

Gear: Penon FAN 3s Artwork: ✏️👹🇯🇲 Production: 🎚️🌶️🧈 Music: 🧳🏝️💆‍♂️ Rating: 🌿🌿🌿🌿/5

This is #day460 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yeah, these must be my '90s electronica days: yesterday it was David Holmes, the day before Underworld, and now this. Chill soundscapes built on trip-hop, breakbeat, jazz, and whatnot. Some tracks seem to drag on forever without a destination. As for the record's title, all two or three times I tried weed in my life, it was a nightmare. Haven't touched that shit in like ten years, and not intending to. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day461.

First “don’t judge a book by its cover” album I got on the project. Thought it was going to be something akin to 311/Sublime but it’s instrumental beats and it’s a vibe.

Chilliges Album, man bekommt was man erwartet und noch eine Prise mehr :D Ich fand es gut

ganz angenehm zu hören, schwanke zwischen drei und vier sternen. letztes lied aber echt gut, daher vier.

Bei dem Album Cover und Titel hab ich Reggea oder Stoner Hip Hop erwartet. Chillige Beats zum Arbeiten, aber nichts was ich mir absichtlich anhören würde

hmm not sure what this is doing here exactly Will I listen to again: 0%

Who? Wikipedia says the music genre is Trip-Hop / JazzStep / BreakBeat / Chill-Out / Electronica / DownTempo which seems to cover a lot of bases. Chill-Out music for an elevator. On the whole, I quite liked listening to the album, but it's a bit boring so I wouldn't buy it.

Great production and cool for the time, just too long-winded for me. I wish there were more melodic hooks and more shifts in texture throughout

Put it on while doing some house cleaning. It was okay for that. Mostly it reminds me why I don't smoke dope and sit around in my underwear giggling at nothing for hours on end. Bailed on it way before the halfway point. This ain't my cup of tea.