Article · October 2026
Slacker — Scared (The Lonely Traveller)
A 1990s progressive record that gets darker the longer you leave it alone. Slacker's Scared was already out on Loaded in 1996 before XL issued a four-version twelve-inch in 1997. The Lonely Traveller is the long cut, and it's all about tension rather than a big easy release. I reckon it is one of those records that makes far more sense in the middle of a proper DJ set than pulled out for a quick nostalgia clip. There's a reason those early progressive nights could feel so different from the obvious anthem-driven sets.
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The original 12-inch
Slacker's Scared came out on Loaded Records in 1996, then on XL Recordings in 1997. The Lonely Traveller is the long version: a record that makes space for a repeating idea to grow stranger and heavier before it resolves. That gradual pressure is a big part of why it still sounds like proper progressive house rather than a quick nostalgia hit.
The XL twelve-inch didn't just press one definitive track. It included The Lonely Traveller, a Dylan Rhymes remix, Pob's Seismix and Scared Of Tomorrow. It's worth checking the version on a video or upload before judging the record: the names represent different approaches, not just longer or shorter edits.
Why it belongs in a mix archive
Slacker's sound sits on the darker edge of the progressive house and trance overlap. It's also a useful route into the late-90s sets in which a less obvious record could hold tension for minutes, without having to announce a giant chorus. That's the sort of room-building music that can disappear when people only share the biggest hooks.
For a nearby TMA rabbit hole, the feature on when Sasha's sets turned darker explores the moment that sound became increasingly prominent. Put Scared on first, then follow the mixes.
Records and mixes
Slacker — Scared (The Lonely Traveller)
Classic · Individual track
Listen free to the recording cited in this TMA spotlight.
Related listening in The Mix Archive
When did Sasha get darker?
The late-90s progressive shift that made room for records like this.
Members Club · Deep Archive
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