Nicolay

Connected to Here

Words by Adam Meghji aka. Marmalade

In the last 6 years, Netherlands-raised producer Nicolay has left his mark on independent hiphop and music as a whole through his soulful and melodic rhythms. As a formally-trained musician with a longtime involvement in various bands and groups, the depth of Nicolay's sound is consistent with the depth of his love for the artform. In harnessing both the sampler and sequencer along with a variety of instruments recorded specially for each composition, the end result is refreshingly unlike anything else these days. Also known for his work with Foreign Exchange, a long-distance collab project with Phonte of Little Brother, Nicolay has since focused on his solo endeavours, including a recent relocation across the pond to the US.

Earwaks sat down with Nicolay during a recent stop in Toronto, and got his first-hand thoughts on a variety of fitting topics.

2006 marked a series of professional and personal accomplishments for Nicolay, as manifested in his latest full-length LP, Here. Nic explains how this collaborative effort between the producer extraordinaire and a talented roster of American emcees and vocalists also represents other powerful movements in his life.

.. the story behind Here

UK-based BBE (Barely Breaking Even) music enlisted Nicolay & Foreign Exchange, placing them among the ranks of legends Pete Rock, J Dilla, Roy Ayers, Jazzy Jeff, and a host of others. In the production world, it doesn't get much better than this.

.. on BBE and his winning team

Nicolay's signature sound? Imagine a jacked Isley Brothers sample over Casio presets. Just kidding; Nic's music seamlessly blends just-the-right samples accented by actual instrumentation, creating that perfect head-bop vibe. How does he do it?

.. on balancing sampling and instrumentation

Nic's got the crate digger's ear, but takes a different approach than his labelmates. Listen on for his unique philosophy about record collection.

.. a "disrespectful" attitude towards vinyl

Myspace is more than just a place to stalk the favoured sex; it can also be a valuable marketing tool (you heard it here first). Why is Nicolay all 'boutit?

.. on Myspace as a tool

Nic comments on his recent Serato-ready unmixed release, and why it makes sense to embrace the future direction of DJing.

.. on releasing DJ-friendly music

It's no surprise that the music industry has suffered a dive in sales as of late, while alternative means of distribution have flourished. Nicolay breaks down the shape of things to come from the perspective of an independent artist.

.. on the downfall of record stores