Nick Curly, 8Bit Records boss and man behind recent debut LP, Between the Lines, and ‘In The House’ mix for Defected, is a name that has defined the image of the global club scene over the last few years like no other. As the driving force behind the so-called “Sound of Mannheim,” Curly was long considered the rising star of the international house scene.
This is a status he has long since left behind him.
Here we catch up about the next phase of his career.
Prime Planet: How are you, how was your year?
Nick Curly: I’m good thanks. I’m doing a 10 days Panchakarma-detox at the moment. Taking some time off to reload my batteries after my NYE gigs and the BPM festival.
Last year has been great for me, lots of changes in Ibiza and with my Label Cecille, but in the end it was a very good year for me.
PP: What were some of the moments and memories that really stand out, good or bad?
NC: Oh I have so many good memories of the last year that it’s hard to pick just a few. I had some outstanding gigs in Japan at Womb, but also the gig when I played with Solomun in Ibiza is still in my mind for example.
PP: And how did you enjoy Ibiza this year–was it as vibrant as ever? And did you notice any big changes?
NC: Yeah, I stopped playing for Kehakuma this year and did shows with Solomun, Defected, Luciano and Sasha. It has been a great season for me. I was a bit nervous at the beginning cause of all these changes, but at the end it worked out great.
PP: Why are you putting Cecille to one side now?
NC: You know, we actually got a little bored with the music. Myself and my partner decided to just leave it for now and start on something new. Cecille had such a big hype behind it, it was quite hard to maintain it on the same level. Before we sign off we’ll be doing a compilation that will feature Reboot, Livio & Roby, Ilario Alicante, Butch Uner, and Sascha Dive; all mixed by Uner, so watch out for that.
PP: What were some of the proudest moments you had with the label?
NC: The start with Cecille has just been great. One of the proudest moment was when our third EP from Andomat 3000 got voted as the best Techno track at the WMC in Miami. Also I can say that I’m proud about the last six years we have spent building up–and what great artists released on this platform.
PP: And what were some of the hard lessons you learned?
NC: People are gonna change over the years.
PP: What have you got planned for 8Bit Records now?
NC: On 8Bit we have just signed releases from guys like Tuccillo, Snilloc, and also I’m very proud to say that my good friend Johnny D is back with an EP on the label. I will put more focus on that label now, and I promise that you can expect great music.
PP: How active are you A&Ring–are you on Soundcloud and accepting demos or is it just music from friends you will release?
NC: I can’t listen to all the demos I get, but I try to check as many as possible. I now have some of my personal favourite producers and friends like Tuccillo and Johnny D on the label, but I will also accept demos from other people for sure. A pre-listen soundcloud link is the easiest way for me to listen to a demo.
PP: And what is it that you are looking for in the music you release exactly?
NC: The track has to catch me when I listen to it the first time. For me, the groove is the most important thing. I don´t need a vocal or a synth, but I need a good groove.
PP: How did it feel to get asked to do a mix for Defected–and what can we expect?
NC: The Defected In the House comp is a big thing for me. I’m really happy that I got asked at the end of the Ibiza season last year by Simon Dunmore to do this. I already had a good relationship with Defected as they had signed my album Between the Lines, and I played gigs for them all around the world. On the mixes I tried to keep them timeless and underground, but still understandable for everyone.
PP: Do you have a certain style or technique when DJing?
NC: I think what makes me who I am is that I’m open for any kind of music; I’m not 100% just a house or just a techno Dj. I like to play with the different genres and styles and bring up and downs in my sets.
PP: Do you think the art of the DJ is getting lost with short DJ sets and lots of sync button technology?
NC: It depends. For me, personally, I do like to play long sets if the party and the club/soundsystem is good. If the sound in the club is not great I prefer to play for just two hours. About the sync technology, I think everyone should do what they want, I’m not into that sync stuff but I also had to accept that it’s not possible for me in most of the clubs to play vinyls, as it doesn’t always sound great anymore or the decks are just too old, so I play on USB now.
PP: What are you most looking forward to?
NC: At the moment I’m looking forward to the release date of my in the house comp and my release tour. To confirm my Ibiza offers I already have to go back to the Island as soon as possible.
-Dan Mac
