Nicole Moudaber’s debut artist LP Believe, released earlier this month on Drumcode, has placed her firmly in the techno dialogue. As one of genre’s brightest new stars, Nicole discusses her passion for creative expression – citing that her flow is best when her emotions are amplified. “To me [DJing] is more like a cathartic experience. – I go into another planet completely, if I could do that 24/7 maybe all my issues would be gone in my life.” Getting her start as a self-described “professional clubber,” the music grabbed her much the same way it has grabbed so many fans and artists in the past – ensnaring her in an indescribable groove. Watch the video above to learn more about Nicole’s creative process and her approach to the development of Believe and grab the album today on Beatport.
Nicole is performing at New York’s Cielo nightclub tonight, May 23rd.
Nicole Moudaber has worn several different hats in this industry — working as a promoter, label manager, and now label owner for Mood Records — but her clear strength lies in production and DJing. Both because of the reliable quality of her production and rapid pace at which she releases music (more than 5 EPs under her belt in 2012 alone), she’s earned the title in many circles of the unofficial empress of her genre. As a DJ, she leans heavily on many of techno’s customary frameworks while filling clubs and festivals with her spirited personality and straightforward bass lines. As a producer, her work has shown a laser-like focus on a pure breed of techno — you’re not going to find deviations from minimal on Believe. Her mentorship from Carl Cox and close work with labels like Kling Klong and Waveform indicate just how intentional this is.
Carl Cox has always been a long time supporter of Nicole Moudaber. She has often been described as one of his proteges; which makes all the sense as her sound and DJ styling seems to have influences from much of Carl’s works. Ahead of the April 6th release of the Pure Intec Vol. 2 compilation, Nicole offers her remix abilities to Carl Cox’s “Chemistry.” The track is signature Moudaber at her finest; big and bouncy with sexy techno grooves — the defining attributes of her sound. Other artists on the compilation are Guti and Loco Dice. In other words: this is going to be massive.
Nicole Moudaber kicks off her 2013 with yet another solid EP, this time as her second release on Carl Cox‘s rebirthed Intec Digital label (formerly Intec Records). In 2012, Moudaber released material on Drumcode, Leena Music, and Kling Klong, so it’s no surprise to see her turn around and offer her techno talents to yet another quality label. Roar EP offers two tracks, “Roar” and “Brooklyn Hangover,” and handily commands both her signature bombastic techno drum line and more delicate top line vocals and shuffling synths. Played out in a big room setting, there is no doubt this EP would shake you to the core. Catch the stream and purchase link below.
It’s hard to believe that it took Pacha NYC this long to bring the Swedish techno icon Adam Beyer to their storied dancing facility. For almost two decades, the man has been pioneering a relentless spree of banging tech house and techno, using his Drumcode label as the driving force behind his quest to showcase the works of legends and rising stars alike. Last Saturday he graced the decks of the West 46th street location with a marathon set that lasted into the early hours of the morning. Read past the break to hear how it all went down. (more…)
If you’re anything like us, you probably spent much of the last ten days avoiding social media for fear of mention of BPM, an event quickly becoming dance music’s greatest amalgamation of (largely deep house and techno) talent at once. The sixth annual festival took place this year in Playa del Carmen, Mexico — far away from the cold winds and boring cubicles many festivalgoers left behind for a glorious combination of beaches and beats. None of us over at Dancing Astronaut were of the lucky to attend, but we did catch some of the many killer sets that went down on the playas and in the clubs. Not all of these sets are complete and they’re definitely not a replacement for actually attending, but we hope this roundup will offer even the tiniest bit of solace. Click below for our choices from Andre Crom, Nicole Moudaber, Tale of Us, Ellen Allien, Sven Väth, Dubfire, Eats Everything, Cassy, Sasha, and Seth Troxler b2b Guy Gerber.
Every Saturday night at 1am in the UK, Pete Tong allows an artist of his choosing to take over the Radio 1 airwaves for two full hours. The Essential Mixis legendary and for many of these DJs and producers, the pressure feels immense. A stellar mix can shoot you to recognition, solidify a career, or facilitate a comeback. Although with the generous input of fans, Pete Tong does eventually crown an Essential Mix of the year himself (last year: Above & Beyond), we also put our heads together to decide on the ten mixes from 2012 that made us listen again, and again, and again.
Nicole Moudaber‘s latest EP Sonic Language is out today on Adam Beyer’s seasoned techno label Drumcode. The Nigerian standout has included two tracks on this sampling of classic techno heaven — “The Road to Transformation” and the title track, “Sonic Language.” “Sonic Language,” the darker of the two tracks, seems to nicely complement and round out the slightly lighter taste left by “The Road to Transformation.” Sonic Language offers a strong follow-up to her last EP The Journey Beginsproduced with Victor Calderone and released back in August. This EP offers dark, pulsing techno grooves that breath new life into older and more traditional techno sounds while still maintaining the elements of the genre fans have come to know and love.
In celebration of the impending debut of Sensation in America this weekend in Brooklyn, we bring to you a Good Morning Mix fit for the event of the year. Only a few weeks ago, Toolroom king Mark Knight rang in the brand’s sixth birthday with six shows throughout the UK (including Ministry of Sound in London) and support from Friendly Fires, Lovebirds, Crazy P Soundsystem, and a variety of resident Toolroom DJs. The set whips through some of his more recent remixes and productions (like “Nothing Matters”) but also skillfully throws in dashes of classic, contemporary, progressive, deep, and electro house tunes. If the underground really is becoming mainstream as some suggest, this mix embodies this prediction. When else do you see Nicole Moudaber, Dirty South, Marco Carola, and Nari & Milani in the same setlist? Listen, download, and check out the tracklist after the break.
It’s been 20 years since “Music Xpress” made its mark on the early 90′s dance music scene. In honor of one of the premiere dance tracks of the early 90s, Skint records is re-releasing the original with two additional cuts from Eats Everything and Nicole Moudaber. Hot off the release of her collaboration with Victor Calderone, The Journey Begins EP, Nicole continues to establish herself as a powerful female presence in the burgeoning underground scene. Her remix, originally produced in 2008, juxtaposes the original’s 90′s vibe with deep and soulful synthwork. The original’s iconic vocal sample remains intact while Nicole transforms the track with playful percussion, gritty chord stabs and a subtle, yet haunting, string section. The seductive producer had this to say;
“I was just starting to produce, dabble and discover this world. I was approached by the label manager back then, I knew him from London and he played at my parties a few times. I delivered the mix, even got paid for it but it never saw the light, maybe because my name didn’t mean much back then. They heard it recently by mistake on a random hard drive they found at the Skint Office, and I’m very pleased it will finally get released.”
