Interview with Nicole Fiallo

Alejandro
16/01/2022

Cuban-American producer and DJ Nicole Fiallo debuts on Doc Brown’s Unlearn Records with a two-track EP of hard, undulating tech-house beats.

With a flair for tech house groovers and funky house flavors, her energetic and fresh approach has marked her as one of the most exciting new artists to emerge on the scene.

‘Gimme Gimme’/’I Wanna Jack’ further establishes her as a real note producer, with both cuts boasting fierce bass lines, crisp percussion and infectious beats.

We have had the pleasure of interviewing her and this has been the result.

What was the first thing that drew you to the world of electronic music?

My mom was a big influence for me when it came to my first introduction to electronic music. She was always playing 80s freestyle and disco, and I learned to love that style of music from a young age. I also got into DJing around the time where EDM was blowing up, and growing up in Miami introduced me to the world of Ultra Music Festival and Winter Music Conference.

Do you remember any album or concert that changed everything for you?

My first trip to Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Festival in 2012. I was only 16 years old, was just learning how to DJ, and enthusiastic as ever. My first day at Ultra was indescribable, to say the least, but the real cherry on top was where we went that night: Club Space (Miami). I had convinced my mom to allow me to go with my cousin Erica and her boyfriend Steven, and using a fake ID, they were able to smuggle me in. The DJ on deck that night was Laidback Luke playing a special techno set. As I stood there in the corner of the dance floor, with a Redbull in hand, and mesmerized by a group of dancers stepping to the beat, I knew in that exact moment that it was the start of something special for me.

How was the music scene where you are affected by the pandemic?

I live in New York, but spent most of the pandemic down in Miami. Both cities were certainly polar opposites. In New York, we had everything shut down for about 6 months, with clubs and events closed for almost a year. In Miami, the party never stopped and venues stayed open throughout the pandemic with only limited capacities and safety measures in place. Thankfully, the scene here in NY has been thriving since things have reopened and a lot of exciting events have been happening.

What are your favorite places to hang out in the city?

In the city, my favorite spot is definitely the High Line in the Meat Packing District and the new Little Island Park. But my favorite places to hang out are actually in Brooklyn. I love to stroll along the Hudson River at Brooklyn Bridge Park or Dumbo, and typically head into Bushwick or Williamsburg if I’m looking for a good party.

How was your last project born?

My latest project, the Gimme Gimme EP, was born on my ‘sample searching day’, which is a day where I go through sample databases like Splice or LoopCloud and collect samples I enjoy to later use on creative production days. I heard this sample FX that sounded similar to the lead synth used in ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and the gears started turning immediately. For side B of the EP ‘I Wanna Jack’, a very similar situation sparked the idea and I was inspired by a vocal sample I immediately gravitated to that said “I wanna jack”. From there, the rest was history!

What do you want to convey in this work? What is the concept behind it, if anything?

Just feel good music. That’s the motive behind each of my productions. Each time I sit down and start to write a song, the main goal in mind is to make something that will resonate on the dance floor. Whether that be including a lyric sample that’s well known, or a chord riff that gets you in your feelings, I never produce music just to put some beats together; I always aim to tell some kind of story.

Data Transmission · Nicole Fiallo – I Wanna Jack [Unlearn Records]

As for your studio, what is your setup currently made of?

Living in a NY apartment, you are definitely limited to space and volume levels (as these walls are paper thin), so I’ve definitely downsized my studio set up over the years to include the essentials: (2) KRK Rokit 5 Studio Monitors, a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 audio interface, Novation LaunchKey 25, a Traktor Kontrol S4 for DJing and mix recordings, a pair of Sennheiser HD600 and HD280 Pro headphones, and my 2017 MacBook Pro.

What’s the one bit of kit you’ll never get rid of, no matter what?

If it came down to it, my MacBook Pro + a pair of headphones would be all I need. With todays technology, it’s amazing what you can do with just these two tools.

What would you say is the definition of your sound?

Definitely eclectic and diverse. I enjoy many styles and genres of music and I certainly try to creatively express that in my music. My approach to my sound is very different than other artists, as I do not like to be bogged down by the stigma of “you can only create one style of music”. I think music is a form of art, and as an artist you should be able to freely express yourself and let your creativity flag fly.

Please tell us your favourite record of the year so far…

This one is ALWAYS a tough one to answer, as there’s been so much good music released lately. But, if I had to choose one, I’d definitely tip my hat to Tony Metric’s most recent release ‘El Canto’ out on Cube Recordings.

BUY