Like any great artist on the verge of innovation, Nico Purman delights us with a genre-crossing mix of ambient, techno and electro. Always driven by the rush of experimental harmonies, the producer creates big and amazing worlds with his off-kilter flair. The Argentinan music producer made his artist debut in 2006, and since then he has released music via imprints like Mule Electronics, Vakant and Crosstown Rebels. For all the lovers of avant-garde sounds, this mix will satisfy your craving for freeform textures. A mix that warps itself in several directions with ease, Nico Purman is a talent not to be overlooked.
Enjoy the mix below:
Set the tone for us. Why the arts?
Because art is freedom. There is an Argentinian artist called Marta Minujin. She always says: “arte, arte, arte”.
Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
It really depends on the mood. Sometimes you have a whole idea of a track with bpm, drums and aesthetic. Or I just experiment with sounds until something I like comes up.
Does your material feature any collaborations?
Everything I have released does not feature any collaborations. I do like to make music with other people and I did some stuff with friends, but just for fun and not thinking about releasing or sending it to labels.
What’s on your current playlist?
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing, Cocteau Twins – Head over heels, Jon Hassell – Seeing Through Sound.
Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.
Music is a universal language that connects everything.
What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
I don´t have a specific technique to get a sound or formula. I always change and try new things.
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
It depends on the mood of the day, could be ambient, drone, electronica, electro, dub, techno. I like to design the sounds, so if it’s a kick drum I play a lot with it, filter it, and distort it using compressors. You can design many different kick drums, from soft to hard. And the same with other sounds, just a turn of a knob can change everything. Sometimes I turn everything off without recording, and that was it.
Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
Every time I saw a drum set in a room as a kid I would say I want that too. Then when I learned how to beat match 2 types of vinyl together, and also when I started making my first tracks in a room at home – first bedroom studio.
What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?
That the tracks blend well together, the bpm of a track, and creating a good atmosphere.
Any emerging artists on your radar?
JD Beck is a very young drummer with an amazing modern sound. He sounds like a machine.
What gets your creative juices flowing?
Being in the right mood to make music.
Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
I’m mainly using the modular, but I have Korg Polysix, Nord Lead, a couple of old drum machines. I also have an SH 101, another semi-modular synth, tape echoes, sequencers, speakers…
Any side projects you’re working on?
I have 2 side projects, one is more techno dance floor-oriented called NoSuchKey, which I already released an EP on AOM. The other is more ambient electronica called Sleeplikeapillow.
How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?
Yes for sure. Every release taught me a lot. But as I always change the way I record or what I do, it’s always something new. But I learned a lot from releasing music on labels.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
I have an ambient album ready for a while that I haven’t sent to labels yet, and much unfinished music that I have on my hard drive that needs to be mixed and their futures decided on. There’s lots of ambient, electronica and electro.
Famous last words?
At the end of the film Scarface, the LED sign reads “The World Is Yours”. This is when Scarface dies in the pool, epic!
Follow Nico Purman:
Facebook / Instagram / Soundcloud / Spotify
