With the thousands of people who vote on Drum&BassArena’s yearly awards lists, there has to be a section of the scene ranking their favorite producers, right? And if they are, is a producer like the mysterious figure known only as Nick the Lot on their radar? We’d hope so.
Nick the Who?
Some producers choose to be mysterious as their calling card. Others, like Nick the Lot, just seem to operate a few steps behind you knowing who the fuck they are. Nick’s playing that up, with a balaclava-clad individual being the most we’ve seen representing the person behind the beats. Nick the Lot’s earliest releases appeared out of nowhere in 2018, but in 2019, Twisted Individual took notice of Nick’s material, signing a number of tunes (and continuing to sign a number of tunes) from Nick the Lot. These releases, which fit perfectly in the experimental (Grid) and the grimy (Zombie) sides of the dnb realm that Twisted’s imprints showcase, put Nick’s releases on a number of imprints, as well as leading to the formation of his own label, the appropriately-titled Pick the Lot Records.
What is it about Nick the Lot? Grooverider sees it. We told you we’d get to the squelch at a later date. There’s an obvious funk to what Nick’s doing, even in a more upfront/jump-up vibe. Cuts like “Blueprint” have an intergalactic vibe to them, like the anthems you’d heard in the dirtiest clubs on Knowhere. Nick’s entire Missing Person EP is a thing of diabolical beauty.
The squelch continues
Nick the Lot’s 2020 has been one sweeping science experiment. “Straggler,” taken from Informal VA 2, is the kind of moody squelch number I’ve gotten lost in while ill-fitting masks have tugged at my beard while protecting…something. Wear the damn masks.
But why kick this off with Nick the Lot?
Aside from the fact that we felt like it, Nick the Lot is the type of producer we’d look for to highlight in this series. Someone who, on the low, has been dropping serious heat on a consistent basis. Someone who operates within one lane, but has clearly carved out their own niche within said lane. A producer who is instantly stream-on-sight. Nick the Lot is all of that, plus he continues in the Twisted Individual vein of putting his quirks right on Front Street.
For the first of many drum & bass playlists we’ll provide to the internets, we present a selection of Nick the Lot’s productions, all released in 2020. They highlight why you should give a fuck, or at the very least should help you tidy up the house or pre-game whatever socially-distant activities you have going on in safe environments outdoors. Bang this one out and share it with your like-minded rowdy squadron.