Interview with Nickodemus

An Interview with New York's Nickodemus, who releases his new album, "Sun People" on June 16th 2009.

Good Day, Sir! Could you introduce yourself briefly, for those who might not be familiar with your work?

My name's Nickodemus, I'm from NYC & I've been dancing since birth, DJ'ing since 14 & writing/ producing music since 20. I DJ & produce one of the longest ongoing parties in NYC called Turntables on the Hudson. We've been getting people on the dancefloor in NYC & around the World for 11 Years now.


When did you first begin to really get into dance music and involve yourself in the scene?

I was a Hip Hop fanatic before I was 10, so by 12 or 13, I was breakdancing in this teenage club in NY & spinning records at 17 in all sorts of clubs from NYC to Long Island.


You started as a DJ first, what inspired the transition to production as well?

I was spinning a lot of music from Africa, Brazil & India in my sets but I would always drop beats on top to fatten them up for the dancefloor. A friend of mine told me that a sampler could take the parts I liked & combine them with the beats I add, so I bought my first sampler & started to mess around. It worked! Then I hooked up with Jay B, a friend who really showed me to move out of sampling & into writing.


Despite being based in NYC, your music has a distinctly Latin and wordly sound to it. Is this a conscious choice to steer away from other, more tired sounds, or something which comes entirely naturally to you?

I've always done what felt naturally. My first tunes where inspired by an Indian girl I was in love with back in 1996/ 97. So, they were these Indian- Raga- Hip Hop- dance floor tracks. Then, overseas gigs really opened my ears up to so much more. As long as I had enough money to eat & get back home, I spent everything else on tapes & records! I got most of my Eastern & African Music from this Tunisian Record dealer up in the North of Paris... he said I looked like his son & always hooked me up with the good records!


What should people expect from the new record?

More than it's diversity in sound, it's overall vibe of the Sunshine & positivity! I really left all the weight of life behind on this one... no conspiracy theories, no injustice going on in the Word... for me. this was coming out of the darkness & trying to see the positive in all the negative around us.


Would you say "Sun People" represents a progression in terms of style and/or production for yourself?

Yes, Sun People was more writing & arranging than in the past. Also, after 40 or so remixes in the past 2 years, my sound recording & mixing techniques have improved a bit. I'm still recording pretty raw with some vintage gear, Logic 4.7, one sound card & 1 or 2 mics max, but I don't think anyone would know if I didn't tell them... don't tell no one


Does the album title, "Sun People" reflect a concept running through the album?

Inspiration... inspiration from the Sun... inspiration to be alive!


Your remixes have a darker, more urban, flavor to them. Is this taken as an opportunity to explore different avenues to your own material, or merely a reflection of the nature of the piece you have been working with?

Good question, I tend to choose the darker compositions for remixes. I could have chosen many different songs, but I chose "Travelin All Alone" for the Billy Holiday Remix Project. I do love the darker sounds, the harder urban beats, but I feel I'm changing that a little. This album has some tunes where I toned the beats down a bit or tried some things in major chords.


You also run parties under by the name Turntables, how did you get into this?

In the need to for better parties in NYC at the time, I decided to look heavily into an outdoor venue that would let us throw parties. Where everyone would be accepted... no door policies, no security… After this big old ship closed down in 97 (where I used to do these sorts of parties), my friend Mariano showed me this huge outdoor Pier behind an ice skating rink on the Hudson River. We convinced them to let us do parties there & that started our 11 Years of outdoor parties.


You have two releases coming out this year, an album, "Sun People", and an interpretation of the album. Firstly, what should we expect from the album?

The album is a melting-pot of musicians & sounds that everyone is invited to dance to... It's like the daytime Summer party where everyone brings their kids.

And secondly, how did the interpretation record come around, natural progression or was it always something you had plans to create?

Moon People is the REMIX of Sun People. It's more minimal & going to be ready for the nighttime people in the clubs this Winter. On this series, I've envisioned everything from the sound, the featured artists, the artwork, the release parties... This was the plan & now I'm just happy if it all falls into place! If not, then I try again... this is what will hopefully make me a better artist.