Project Description

Interview with
NICHOLSON

(October 2020)

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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First off, congratulations on the release of your new album Reverent! Can you tell us a little bit about the creative process behind this latest body of work?
‘Reverent’ began as a university project at the Academy of Contemporary Music where I recently got my first class honours degree and kind of grew from there. I feel there is an element of storytelling that is lost with music sometimes with today’s consistent reinvention. Good music is good music, as my old friend Tony de Vit said, ‘To be a good DJ you need to focus on entertainment, people get all the education they need from their personal daily grind, they come to you for escape. So do your job!’ Every track on ‘Reverent’ is 1bpm faster than the last, but it’s a marathon, not a race. Every track is made with its own formula, you won’t find many too alike. It creates a storyline that people seemingly have been taking a liking to, by looks of the charts. I feel very lucky and humbled by everyone’s responses.

Since the release, the album has gone on to top both Beatport and iTunes UK charts – reaching the number one spot on both platforms – quite an impressive feat! What does this mean to you as a producer?
It means a lot as it shows that our charts don’t have to be riddled with greatest hits compilations forever and the indie artist can possibly get a break, even if it does take them over two decades to get finally get one.

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Do you have a favorite track on the album? What makes this specific track so special to you?
I couldn’t really say which is my favourite as I have a close attachment to all, but if I had to give one it would be mine and my good friend Paul Skelton’s track ‘Serenity’. The prayer answers so many questions in life, it’s quite poignant for such turbulent and troubled times.

We hear your new studio, EQ Studios is almost complete! Will you give us a breakdown of the equipment in the studio and what it will look like?
It’s going to look like a sonic powerhouse when it’s finally finished, the whole place is soundproofed, treated with clouds, acoustic absorbers, and bass traps. I’m running off logic X on my MacBook Pro, and linked through an SSL SiX analogue mixer. I have a chain of vintage compression & EQ units coupled with the most cutting edge tech around including a full Roland boutique desk running through System 8 aira that is linked up alongside a Dave Smith Prophet X. It’s going to be quite a monster when I power up the Dynaudio Core 46 studio monitors – true industry beasts which we are very much looking forward to getting our teeth stuck into shortly.

If you had the chance to collaborate with any musician – living or dead – who would it be and why?
There are a few but I’d have to say the late, great Tony de Vit because he just had this unique style, and just by listening you would know he was playing. What a track that could be, alas we will never know sadly.

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With so many genres in the electronic music realm, what initially attracted you to trance music?
Trance has a way of connecting people in a euphoric unison like no other sound I’ve heard, every track you hear has a collective yet very personal meaning involved. It’s built on emotions of well being and optimism, I think that’s what makes it so addictive, that feeling of ‘togetherness’ on the dance floors, I really hope we will get a chance to feel that again soon.

How do you think the genre has evolved over the course of your career?
It started off being called ‘Uplifting House’ and split into a million sub-genres which I feel isn’t the best thing – only pigeonholes producers. That is a flagrant rule of clubbing, ‘acceptance from wherever you are, for whoever you are’. It shouldn’t be ‘I’m not hanging with you because I like different music‘, because it’s all subjective. We shouldn’t segregate ourselves because one unit would be a much more positive force for the nightlife industry.

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Do you have any studio rituals you perform when starting to create new music?
Coffee and start with fresh ears references of projects, it’s a must for any producer in my opinion.

You’ve had a massive year of releases in 2020, how have you managed to keep focused on your music despite everything that’s going on in the world?
2020 has been great creatively, but I must admit I have used it as a distraction from the current climate. It’s not a good place, so I’m throwing as much light at it as I can with my music, cause & effect as it were.

Any future plans or releases that you can share with us at this time?
I’ve got loads coming up, this week my collab with the mighty S.H.O.K.K called ‘Reflux’ is out now on HTE Recordings. On the 9th Oct, Tidy Two are releasing the EP from Reverent containing ‘Serenity’ & ‘Industria’.  Following that, on the 12th I have my new collab with my good friend Paul Skelton called ‘Eternity’ out on Aly & Fila’s label Future Sound Of Egypt. It’s a big one and I’m so excited for my debut on such a prolific label.  I also have a second release lined up with them already. A lot of good stuff coming! :)

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Check out NICHOLSON below
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter 

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AMNPLIFY – DB