Nightmares on Wax (the long-running project led by George Evelyn, aka E.A.S.E.) have been on the Warp label since 1991—longer than any of its other artists. Which is kind of strange, as NOW are not the first, or second, or even tenth artist you think of when somebody mentions that storied English label. Even though Warp has expanded its stylistic horizons from its roots in bleepy, cerebral electronic music, it is still commonly regarded as the home of trailblazing, somewhat “difficult” artists like Autechre, Squarepusher, and, more recently, Flying Lotus and Battles.

NOW cannot be considered innovators, but they are consistently rewarding producers with a vision they've burnished over six studio albums and embellished over Evelyn's three mix CDs (DJ-Kicks, Late Night Tales, My Definition).

NOW's debut LP, A Word of Science: The First and Final Chapter (1991), revealed Evelyn and key collaborator Robin Taylor-Firth's predilection for the soulful strains of techno, house, and electro emerging from various American metropolises. Surfacing in the bleary wake of the UK's post-rave comedown, A Word of Science retained some of that phase's halcyonic glee (see "Biofeedback" and "A Case of Funk"), but it also hinted at darker feelings to come (especially "Back into Time," with its exquisite pitch-shifting of Steve Miller's voice in "Fly Like an Eagle"). Other tracks like "Aftermath," "Coming Down," and "Fun" displayed tricky rhythms and headfucking samples and effects that surely freaked out tripping clubbers back in the day.

NOW's debut would prove to be an anomaly in their catalog, as they downshifted into triphop's more blunted tempos and atmospheres while dabbling with reggae/dub rhythms and flaunting hiphop's eclectic sampling prowess—as well as working with rappers like De La Soul. From 1995's Smokers Delight through 2006's In a Space Outta Sound, NOW mapped out a buttery funk territory that created mental images of infinite leisure time and cloudless, tropical days of lounging and lunging loins. Evelyn and company imbued their sound with an organic lushness and seductive languor that could help even the ugliest Republican get laid (sorry for conjuring that image)—check the spring-heeled lope of "Bless My Soul" (off Smokers Delight) for irrefutable proof.

For NOW's new full-length, thought so..., Evelyn moved from his home in Leeds, England, to the Balearic island of Ibiza. That idyllic, hedonistic spot, he says, influenced NOW's latest creation, and you can hear a slightly more carefree swing in NOW's rhythmic gait. Their output has never really contained much (detrimental) tension, but thought so... is especially generous with its fundamentally fun funkiness. An increased use of soulful, joyful vocals (by Ricky Ranking, Chris Dawkins, Ella May, and others) further makes this NOW's most effective party platter since their debut. Their long-overdue Seattle debut should be head-nodding bliss for funk connoisseurs.

Nightmares on Wax perform with Zac Hendrix on Sat Feb 7, Chop Suey, 9 pm, $15 adv/$17 DOS, 21+.