Nick Stoynoff [Interview]

Nick Stoynoff delivers one of the best remixes of his career, this week making his debut on Musique de Lune Noire with a stellar rendition of 'Like A Crime' by Aubrey Fry ft. her majesti. Already in the sets of Hernan Cattaneo and Nick Warren, the Chicago resident does a masterful job, putting a progressive twist on the track with a hugely memorable bassline and a marvelous array of orbiting effects.

Progressive Astronaut caught up with Nick to learn more about his remix of 'Like A Crime', his background, electronic music in the USA, DJing, and much more. Enjoy.

Hi Nick, I hope all is well and thanks for speaking with us today, how has your year been so far?

Thank you for having me! My year has been ok, certainly not without its ups and downs. But I'm keeping the hope and trust that the dots will continue to connect.

Let’s look back on the year up to now, what gig of yours has stood out the most and why?

No gigs! I did however supply a ‘Top 5 Tracks’ guest mix for the Golden Wings Argentina show earlier this year.

Now let’s look at tracks (not your own), what is a track or tracks which have come out this year that has impressed you the most and why?

I really love the new Tycho album, ‘Infinite Health’. Great sound design and production. The new l'imperatrice album, ‘Pulsar’, is fantastic. Very impressive band with great songwriting. Trentemoller’s ‘Dreamweaver’ is a truly exceptional album. Also, longtime favorites Zero 7 have just released a new album entitled ‘In the Half Light’. It's incredible.

Additionally, here are some singles from this year that have been standout tracks:

1.) Maribou State - Blackoak/Otherside
2.) SBTRKT - BET YOU NEVER
3.) Joe Goddard - When You Call
4.) The Smile - Teleharmonic
5.) Caribou - Come Find Me

In terms of electronic music, was progressive house the style you discovered first? And what was it about the style that made you want to pursue it at the level you are now?

My introduction to the genre was more of an initial exposure to ‘electronica’, as a whole, which ultimately came through a well known compilation, ‘WipeOut XL’ (1996). That album served as a gateway to other genres and ultimately to my passion/love for progressive house . I am not sure I can confidently state that the genre itself has stayed the same over the years, as I have always associated it to a wide ranging latitude of multiple genres, spanning many styles. But, more importantly, it has always been with the constant theme of it being ‘progressive’ in nature. That was always very appealing to me and is the primary reason I continue to gravitate towards its sound.

For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you?

Yeah, that's a very true statement. The onset was kick started by late 90’s essential mixes and the Global Underground series, which spurred an interest in djing and eventually led to an interest in emulating much of that sound on the production side.

How did growing up in the USA affect your music taste and direction into becoming a DJ and producer?

Being born and raised in Chicago has had a monumental impact. Obviously, the city is rich in terms of musical history and house music has its origin/roots here. Being exposed over many years to that depth of musical diversity and talent in conjunction with its associated history has been formative and transformational.

Who else from the USA inspired you when you first discovered electronic music? And what was it about their DJing or production which led you to pursue it yourself?

Within the US progressive scene, I would cite producers like Derek Howell, Steve Porter, Jimmy Van M, Chris Fortier, Danny Tenaglia, Deep Dish, Blake Jarrell, Grayarea, Walsh & Coutre, Ali Ajami, and John Debo who were among the early adopters and innovators that helped pave the progressive house pathways in the states. Their records as well as sets/mixes pushed me towards the darker side of things:)

I think you’ve lived in Chicago mostly or perhaps always, I’m curious how the nightlife there would differ from other major cities in the US you’ve DJed in? Or is there any discernible difference at all?

Yeah, I am a lifelong Chicogian. Nightlife is 24/7, ever evolving, always changing, small venues, large venues, unknown/hidden gems, all catering to virtually every musical corner imaginable. It's not an environment commonly experienced elsewhere and within that comparison, the city has always maintained a thriving uniqueness.

You’ve been a producer for close to two decades, when you look back on your career can you pinpoint pivotal moments to the success you’ve achieved today? Maybe a gig or two, or a release which really helped your propel career?

I was reminiscing about this the other day while taking a walk. I am not sure where the time went, but I have always remained uncompromised, playing the infinite game, following my own path, wherever it leads. There have been small victories along the way, but more recently I was gifted a painting that was inspired by my most recent release on Selador, ‘Your Life’.

The painter is Jamie Mc Glinn, a UK based artist, where he runs a studio called ‘Jamie's Paintings’. I never thought someone would feel the inspiration and generosity to express their own art based on something I put out in the world. It's impossible not to speak to that as a meaningful milestone.

Looking back more on your gigs, what have been some of the most memorable ones for you and why?

I would say playing an after hours warehouse party in Seattle some years ago. It was a gorgeous open space, the system sounded amazing and the memorabile morning sunrise through the venue was perfect.

What is a track that reminds you of your early days DJing and what event/club do you associate with it?

Archive - Numb (Nick Muir Remix). Has all the hallmarks of progressive house and probably one of my all time favorite tracks. Nostalgic, timeless, often taking me back to seeing John Digweed leveling a club at 5am:)

You’ve had releases on labels such as Armadillo, Sudbeat and Selador, so i’m wondering how you look at the future? Do you have goals you want to achieve in electronic music at this point? Or do you think about this kind of thing at all?

Yeah, very lucky to have releases on all of those labels. I think the focus is to continue pushing myself harder in the studio and building my label, NOFF!

You have a new remix of Aubrey Fry’s ‘Like A Crime’ out now via Musique de Lune Noire, tell us a bit about the remix and how you approached it, what sort of vibe were you aiming for?

I was very flattered when Aubrey had reached out as I had already been a massive admirer of his work. Regarding the remix itself, it had a few iterations initially and then a 3rd version came into existence as a hybrid of the first 2. There was a lot of testing of ideas, working through those ideas, and thinking about what might be the best approach while keeping the original’s sensibilities intact. Truthfully, I was ready to give up on it because of personal health issues, but Aubrey stepped in and helped me bring the project across the finish line. Ultimately, I settled on something that had an old school drive while being slightly experimental/playful in nature.

How much play has the remix gotten in your sets? And to what reaction?

Haven’t been able to play it out myself. However, Hernan Cattaneo and Nick Warren have been giving it quite the outing! Visual proof is at 38 min into their set at Loveland 2024. As one of my heroes, Dave Seaman, would say: ‘the dance floor doesn’t lie’. Check out the video for yourselves:)

HERNAN CATTANEO & NICK WARREN at LOVELAND FESTIVAL 2024 • AMSTERDAM

Let our readers inside your studio for a moment, what is your current setup and what studio tools are featured heavily in your recent productions and more specifically on ‘Like A Crime?

Studio is very simple and in the box. Running Ableton 11 on a laptop and have recently purchased a pair Focals, which sound incredible. 90% of my synth work is from the Arturia suites. Much of the plugin tooling on the remix included Soundtoys, Cableguys, Tantra2, and other delays/modulators, which all received heavy use as I tend to print and reprint source material many times over using the above.

Shifting to DJing for a moment, what were some of the main challenges and goals when starting out as a DJ and how have they changed over time?

It's fairly easy these days to start learning compared to when I started. However, the biggest challenge is finding your sound, what you care most about playing, being true to yourself, all while not feeling pressured to be a follower. Be a leader and be identity driven.

What is it about DJing, compared to producing your own music, that makes it interesting for you?

Real time human connection.

Can you tell me a bit about how your work as a DJ and performing for larger crowds has influenced your view of music, your way of listening to tracks and perhaps also, your work as a producer?

The best answer I can provide for both: it’s always been about the moment and what is feeding back. Nothing else outside of the moment matters. Crafting a journey of moments is what builds a memorable and lasting experience. Timing is everything.

How much prep do you put into the sets you play, or are they spontaneous for the most part?

Not really playing out much, so very little!

Current Top five tracks in your sets?

1.) Aubrey Fry feat. her majesti - Like a Crime (Nick Stoynoff Remix) [Musiqe de Lune Noire]
2.) Nick Stoynoff - Your Life [Selador]
3.) Budakid - Loganta [LNOE]
4.) Guy J - Just Rain [early morning]
5.) Nick Stoynoff - Dalbana (Vince Watson Retro Reshape) [NOFF!]

If you could set up an event with a line-up of five artists of your choice, who would you book and what set times would you ascribe to the artists?

Vince Watson at Smart Bar in Chicago for a NOFF! label night!

If you are not DJing, producing or socializing at clubs, where do we find you? And doing what?

Working on ideas in coffee shops.

What’s something people do not know about you?

…………??????

Who would you most like to collaborate on a track with and why?

Royksopp. Lifelong fan of theirs and have always admired their forward thinking work.

What TV series have you been enjoying recently and what are some of your all time favourites?

Haven’t been following too many series lately, but have always been a fan of ‘True Detective’.

What can we look forward to from you for the rest of 2024 and on into 2025? Any releases or gigs you are looking forward to?

More singles/remixes and maybe a few items out early 2025, but I can’t say much else :)

Nick's remix of 'Like A Crime' by Aubrey Fry ft. her majesti is available now via Musique de Lune Noire: https://tinyurl.com/j8tcd2y5