3 hive Press Coverage of "Sun Peole"

A hot and sweaty dance floor number just in time for summer. Nickodemus has been ruling the NYC dance music scene since the mid-nineties as a resident DJ at Giant Step up until presently with his work with the Turntables on the Hudson parties. On record, his name is synonymous with sunny grooves and he can always be counted on to bring big-booty-shakin' bounces. Lately, I've been digging his work with Quantic, and his remixes of Billy Holiday, Mexican Institute of Sound, and Ocote Soul Sound. Now he's ready to drop his sophomore album, Sun People next month on Eighteenth Street Lounge music. Nickodemus touts a cornucopia of world sounds collaborating with artists from all corners of the globe including Mandingo vocalist Ismael Kouyate and New York's Real Live Show. Nickodemus is to music as Tajín is to mango. Sprinkle liberally and dig it.

3hive Press Coverage - Sun People Album

Vinyl Junkie Review of "Sun People"

Nickodemus-Sun People (ESL Music)(US)

Hard to believe it's been two and a half years since the Turntables On The Hudson mastermind dropped Endangered Species for Thievery Corporation's ESL Music label. That album contained all of that ponytailed hipster world music pretentiousness TC is best known for but instead of sucking, Nickodemus made the sh*t rock and subsequently created a new genre I like to call klezmer funk. His latest Sun People is a summertime themed update of the klezmer funk he explored back in the oh-six even bringing back some of the previous album's cast of characters including producers Quantic and Zeb for a familiar feel. But that is where comparisons end as Sun People spends a great deal of time exploring latin and African rhythms ala J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science, whose 2008 album Soul Vibrations, Nickodemus owes some sort of debt to in terms of influence. The production here is unbelievable, tunes are actual songs with catchy hooks, and it still manages to be funky as a mofo. It's hard not to smile everytime I hear this album, for me this album will always be inextricable linked to summertime-and who ever said that was a bad thing?

Vinyl Junkie Review of "Sun People"

Electronic Musician features Nickodemus

NICKODEMUS: SUN PEOPLE (WONDERWHEEL RECORDINGS)

New York DJ Nickodemus' second solo CD offers 12 cuts of effusive and eclectic world-beat dance music. Guest vocalists from Brazil, Guinea, Colombia, India, Turkey and more provide added spice

Press Coverage Electronic Musician features Nickodemus

365 INTERVIEW with Nickodemus

Nickodemus is a DJ/Producer based out of Brooklyn, New York. He went from being a regular DJ in the early days of Giant Step, to running one of NYC's longest running parties called Turntables on the Hudson, Nickodemus has been a steady force on the music scene for over 12 Years. In light of the release of his second solo album entitled Sun People, we felt this was a good time to chat with him in regards to his parties, the album, and much more....

In what ways do you feel being from Brooklyn has affected your music career?

Wow... Brooklyn is so dynamic, yet peaceful enough to actually get work done. Most of my friends who are musicians live in Brooklyn as well so hopping around recording & meeting up with A-class musicians from all musical genres is a lot easier than most places!

What types of music were you exposed to growing up?

As a youth, mostly Soul, R&B, and the Afro-Latin soul sounds of Earth Wind & Fire, Santana, Manu Dibango and anything else my parents managed to get from our main radio stations 107.5 WBLS & 98.7 Kiss FM. I followed up as a teenager listening to the same stations as they programmed Hip-Hop on the weekends. Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, Kid Capri, Mr. Magic & Marly Marl really influenced me as a dj! Then by the time I was 18, the Acid Jazz & Giant Step sound really captured my ears... it was like coming full circle for me musically.

What is the main concept of the Turntables On The Hudson events?

The main concept was & always will be good music, good people, good locations & no attitude! If we can score a nice outdoor venue actually ON the Hudson River, it's a bonus, but it's not even necessary. Mariano, Nappy G, Christian Rogers & our whole extended family of musicians, artists, DJ's, dancers can make a party happen even on the crummy F train morning commute.

Turntables On The Hudson celebrated their 10th anniversary last year, what factors do you believe made this project so successful?

All different elements that I mentioned before plus some real endurance to deal with all the behind the scenes things like club owners, city cabaret laws in the late nineties & early 2000's, closure of spaces, nasty weather etc. But we're survivors... I'm from NYC, Mariano's from Napoli, Nappy G's from the school of hardknocks, so it'll take a lot to stop this groove!

How would you describe the local scene in New York?

The local scene in NY is really diverse, but I feel people tend to stick to their clicks a lot. I feel like there's less all inclusive parties out there that make everyone feel comfortable regardless of your style, dance moves, amount of money in your pocket. Party people in NY have seen so many good things come & go, so when they find something good; they try to protect it & own it. It becomes very insular. I see their point because no one appreciates what can happen to certain places & parties due to an excess amount of people who could care less about the music, but this attitude can have some negative side to it as well. I guess this is what keeps the local scene so dynamic... we have to form, reform, move & keep the groove all the time!

Do you have any enjoyable experiences that you would like to share with us in regards to events where you have recently performed?

Absolutely!! Just yesterday the weather reports were calling for "severe" weather including, thunderstorms, flooding, hail etc. To our amazement, people still came all the way out to Governors Island to the party. The weather reports are so sensational & rarely correct, but this time they were right! Well, Maracatu Brazilian Drum Troupe played their hearts out while we witnessed a storm cloud over the city, sunshine & hail rain over Governors Island & a huge arching rainbow over Brooklyn. Needless to say people were dancing, taking pictures & smiling! It was so refreshing!I loved to see parents with their kids dancing in the rain & teaching them not to be afraid of it! Que Linda La Lluvia!

Is your second album Sun People that was released last month doing well rating wise?

Sure, people can see my genuine effort & feeling behind this album... It wasn't some fabricated album concocted in a think tank up in some midtown major label with a pretty girl on the cover. I think people are getting tired of the BS & want real things again.... real food, real information, real music...

How did you arrange the collaborations with other artists on Sun People?

Since I finished my first album "Endangered Species," I've been recording musicians on the road in my tours, writing lyrics & concepts on the plane or wherever I got the inspiration. Other than people I met along the road, most of the collaborations are friends & family that I like to work with... we all trust each other & support each other's efforts to keep doing what we love.

What stage of progress is the release of your follow up entitled Moon People currently in?

I want this album to be the deeper nighttime side of "Sun People." "Moon People" will be for all the disco dancers, romantics, and moon chasers...

When can we expect Moon People to be released?

I want to have this ready for the first full moon of this winter.

Which DJ's might we expect to be supporting some of your recent productions?

Quantic, Mr Scruff, Tal M Klein, Wiseacre, J-Boogie, King Britt, Senor Lobo, Jeannie Hopper, DJ Vadim, Tom B, La Chusma all have their favorites & I'm honored!

What separates your style from other artists?

I don't know- I guess all my experiences that make me ME. Making art is like all these intricate pieces of one's life puzzle that somehow fit into the finished picture... or maybe a portion of the picture that's an ongoing mural?

What else can we expect from you this year?

I'm producing some big events on Governors Island to bring more good music & good times to everyone who's willing to break out of the city. Then, after September, I'm getting back in the studio & working on an album that will help support awareness & financials to the NEXT AID Organization. They are a grassroots organization that helps orphaned children from Aids in South Africa. It'll be a good mix of sounds from NYC & Africa! www.nextaid.org is the website & we hope to have something ready for the World Cup in SA 2010.

Keep Twisting!

365Mag would like to thank Nickodemus for his time and answers!

365 INTERVIEW with Nickodemus

An Afrofunke Affair! Press by LA2DAY MUSIC

An Afrofunke Affair: Nickodemus Brings The Sun People Out To Party In Santa Monica

The Fourth of July weekend [1] has always truly opened the summer season and at LA2DAY, we got a jump start on the holiday by playing the round of our lives at the Pelican Hill Golf Course [2] before heading back up to Santa Monica, as our good friends at Afrofunke [3] were hosting New York's own Nickodemus to take over the turntables and showcase sounds from his latest longplayer, "Sun People," which has already been entrenched as this summer's firm fixture for dance floors and pool parties [4] worldwide.

Upon entering, we found Afrofunke co-founder Rocky Dawani in an even further elevated state than usual, having just played to 10,000 strong on the Santa Monica pier. He gave us a warm Afrofunke welcome and told us all about how excited he was to have Nickodemus in town.

"Nico, he's like a prophet of the sound," Rocky shared. "When Jeremy (Sole, of KCRW fame and resident Afrofunke DJ extraordinaire) would play, I would be like, ‘What's that track?' He'd say...'That's Nickodemus.' It happened so many times that it was ridiculous. I've been a fan of what he stands for and what he's trying to use the music to do and feel that he's an equally important piece in the cultural revolution [5]."

With his now infamous Turntables On The Hudson parties and albums, Nickodemus has had his finger on the pulse of the cultural revolution for sometime. On "Sun People," his recently released sophomore album for Thievery Corporation's ESL Records [6], he has crafted a cohesive body of work that effortlessly covers all genres, from Latin and Jamaican rhythms, Indian and Middle-Eastern influences and of course the standout, sun-drenched funk of "Sun Children," which is the essential jam of the summer season for us so far.

"You're always yearning for the sun to come out and the seasons to change," Nico told us before the show. "Everywhere I go, people are always amped up by the sun, so it's a combination of being in New York and traveling to all these different areas of the world. I just wanted to make a really nice, sun-inspired, get outside and dance kind of album."

After getting extensive spins on the road and at home, we can certainly attest that it does indeed get you moving and grooving from start to finish. "It's really about breaking down any sort of boundaries, a real mash-up of sound," Nico explained. "Sun People is just that, it's all about inspiration and coming out of the darkness and into the sun."

When he took to the decks for the packed house, he set forth on a musical adventure for all of his "Sun Children," making sure to drop some exclusive re-edits and surprises in the process. The first came with his lovingly retouched version of the late King of Pop's underrated gem, "Off The Wall," which really elevated the crowd to new levels. The next was the true highlight of the evening, where at approximately 1:00am, a live percussion band that Nico had arranged to march through the crowd with a full-scale drum-circle-style workout. While the place was so packed that they couldn't exactly march, we all surrounded them and with our energy combined, we sent shock-waves through the streets of Santa Monica, long into the night.

"We're riding the wheels of change and we're bringing energy that not only belongs here but belongs everywhere," Rocky told us. "Once people feel that, they can go out there (in the world) and shine their light brighter because they will be energized and feel that, ‘You know what, I'm not alone, this is a movement, here we are and we are really feeling it'."

Truer words were never spoken.

Don't forget to check out more pictures of this fantastic night here and download below our exclusive new Nickodemus track, "Didibini," co-produced with the uber-talented, Quantic! We've also got a great contest going to give three lucky readers the new Nickodemus album, "Sun People!" Just send what you to love most about LA2DAY to editor@la2day.com [7]! Then head over to www.nickodemus.com [8] for another free download, this of the sizzling summer anthem, "Sun Children!"

Also, Jacopo Campaiola [9] has lovingly recreated the night for those of you that couldn't make it, so check out our amazing video of Afrofunke to which Nickodemus himself said: "Yo, fellas! This is soooo dope!! Great cuts, colors & movement! Love the ending especially."

LA2DAY MUSIC Press for Nickodemus

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SEATTLE'S KEXP - Song of the Day

Seattle's KEXP posts "Sun Children" as their SONG OF THE DAY!

ITUNES' # 13 most downloaded podcast KEXP's Song of the Day is featured on the Midday Show with Cheryl Waters.

Subscribe to the KEXP Song of the Day podcast with iTunes:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=121393815

Subscribe to the KEXP Song of the Day podcast with another service:
http://www.kexp.org/podcast_songoftheday.xml

Learn more about all of the KEXP podcasts:
http://www.kexp.org/podcasting/podcasting.asp

To download from the KEXP Blog:
http://blog.kexp.org


Seattle's KEXP posts "Sun Children" as their SONG OF THE DAY!

National Geographic's Song of the Week

National Geographic's Song of the Week : "2 Sips and Magic" from Nickodemus' album "SUN PEOPLE"

The Nat Geo Music interview: Nickodemus

Nat Geo Music Asks Globetrotting International DJ Nickodemus About The Sun People

by Derek Beres

It's been eleven years since Brooklyn-based DJ/producer Nickodemus co-founded the Turntables on the Hudson party on the fringe of Manhattan's Westside Highway. Now based on the East River in Queens, NY the party rages on weekly, while the host travels the planet in the constant quest of finding, and then presenting the best global, funky, and bass-laden beats.

After the success of his two previous releases on the ESL Music label, Endangered Species and Endangered Species Remixed, Nickodemus took his time crafting his latest foray into worldwide beatmaking, Sun People. Incorporating Balkan, Puerto Rican, Indian, African, Brazilian, and Jamaican sounds into one continuous barrage of bottom-heavy rhythms, it is easily one of the most danceable albums of 2009. Featuring an impressive roster of guests-including Quantic (with whom he created the iTunes commercial smash, "Mi Swing Es Tropical"), Brian Jay of the Pimps of Joytime, the NY Gyspy All-Stars, the Real Live Show, and Liliana Araujo-Nickodemus stays true to his roots, which at heart are communal. Only his community happens to be borderless, expressed through beats and dancing.

National Geographic: Who are the Sun People?

Nickodemus: Living in New York, you get really amped when the sun comes out, especially after this winter, which was really cold-you know, that whole idea of coming into brighter days. My main inspiration, personally and from what I noticed with a lot of people everywhere, was Obama being elected president. I saw the whole country coming out of the darkness, as well as the way we are viewed in the world. A lot of the songs were inspired by the sun as well. The lyrics are about upliftment, things like: I've been here, now I'm going to be there.

You are someone who actually travels to all the countries you borrow and play music from. Have you noticed an actual, palpable change in people's attitudes towards America?

I'm someone who, when I travel, people generally open up to and discuss political and social ideas with. Perhaps it's because I don't particularly look American, and because I speak other languages. I'm also in places where Americans don't really visit. I get to hear what people are thinking, without apologies, good or bad. And I heard a big shift in attitudes around the time when Obama became president. That gave a clear impression that America is part of the world again. Right now it doesn't seem like that much is changing, though the subtle things are important. Maybe that will transform the larger issues over time.

What changed in your approach to making music between Endangered Species and Sun People?

If you line them up one next to one another, you wouldn't notice much of a difference. I love the organic nature of the production; I don't use presets or stock sounds. Sonically they are similar. Personally, my guidance towards a lot of the artists I collaborate with changed. I gave them more instruction, predominantly to be uplifting. I kept asking: how can we capture this moment in time? I didn't give this sort of direction on Endangered Species. Not everything is political either. It's more of a mood I'm trying to get across. I wanted more of continuity in the music than last time. Each song was a chapter within a novel, instead of just putting a few tracks together and calling it an album.

On Endangered Species, a few of the songs were older, making it feel like a compilation to those following your work. With Sun People, especially with the Balkan songs, there is a fuller sound, more like a full band playing than a producer with a beat adding elements.

This is the most focused I've ever been working on an album. With the last one, I had the concept for five years before it was released. With this one, I really zoned in. I've been getting parts as I've been traveling, recording musicians in Romania, New Zealand, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. I collected them for a while, and then spent two solid weeks without leaving my studio, only working on this record. It felt good to allow myself the opportunity to do that. I never gave myself the chance to just focus on more than one song at a time.

The list of collaborators on Sun People is impressive. How did you end up recording Taraf de Haïdouks?

I've been after them for a while. I've done a couple of gigs in Romania. I wasn't able to record them there, but then I saw that we were performing at the same festival in New Zealand. When I arrived, I explained my situation, and told them how much I appreciate their music. It would have been hard to get everybody in on the recording, so I asked one of the elders who would be the best to record with. I wound up getting Roberto [Gheorghe] and Costel. They are like peanut butter and jelly together; they do everything together. We shut up in the hotel and went for it. I played them some beats and they jumped on them. The main Balkan tune, "Brookarest," is their feature song. I have one more that's unreleased, with the older accordion player, Marius [Marin Manole], that's just brilliant. I'm going to release that later on.

And then there's the toaster, Kwasi?

Kwasi is an emcee from Manchester. He's the voice of Manchester. He's been emceeing for over twenty years. He came out to emcee a bunch of our parties in New York, and he stayed at my place. He's old school; there's no pre-formed thought to his lyrics. He just gets to the mic and freestyles. I barely did any editing.

You also keep things local. Richard Shepherd, of the now-defunct Radio Mundial, appears on "La Lluvia."

I ran into Richard right around here, near Park Slope, Brooklyn and told him about the concept of the album, being inspired by the sun and all that. Well he comes into the studio with a song called "The Rain" (laughs). Lyrically, he talked about how beautiful the rain is, how it washes away his pains, which is the same sort of concept, so it works: getting over things and coming into more positive times.

And the two tracks with Ismael Kouyate, which bookend the album, are both quite positive and upbeat...

I came across him with the Mandingo Ambassadors playing at Barbes, again right around the corner from here. I really loved them, and he was down to record. I'm recording with the entire band. Ismael is a natural.

With the depth and breadth of music on this album, we can think of Bucovina Club founder Shantel, who took his Balkan beats live on the road. Do you ever planning on creating a live band?

That's the next thing: the Sun People band. It's so hard to do it in New York. I already have three festival gigs lined up, and I don't even have all the players lined up yet. In an ideal world, I'd have the NY Gypsy All-Stars meets Brazilian batacuda meets the Real Live Show and Ismael Kouyate. It would be twenty people, at least.





National Geographic Press - Original Post

FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD of "Sun Children"