Producer’s Spotlight: Nicolay

Don’t let the picture fool you; this white boy’s got soul! Nicolay is one of the illest producers in the game right now, straight on the heals of 9th Wonder. He’s been around for a while, primarily producing underground acts, but he definitely deserves his shine. The following bio was taken from OkayPlayer.com…

Music is the universal language that comes in different forms and for centuries has brought people together from all walks of life. The producers role is crucial in the creation of the music process, with the responsibilities of building the foundation and direction of any masterpiece. In this era of the producer rising to the forefront, Nicolay is making serious international headway.

Born and raised in The Netherlands, Europe, Nicolay’s passion for music has dominated his life for as long as he can remember. He was brought up with equal parts of Stevie Wonder and Neil Young, and as a youth, most of his days were spent listening to whatever music he could get his hands on. Nicolay’s early love for classical music drove him to seek a formal music education. A true multi-instrumentalist, Nicolay is proficient in playing piano and keyboards, guitar, bass and drums. Nicolay’s diverse understanding of music led him to play in several Hip-Hop and R&B bands, opening up for artists such as K-Ci & JoJo, Boyz II Men, MC Lyte and many others.

After being a live musician and bandleader for nearly a decade, Nicolay started producing in 2000, and shortly thereafter, came across Phonte Coleman of Little Brother through the Okayplayer message boards. The two soon began trading tracks and rhymes back and forth over instant messenger, which in turn created the b-side single for Little Brother’s critically acclaimed 2003 album The Listening, titled ‘Light It Up’. At the time, neither of them suspected that they were actually laying the foundation for what would become one of the most cohesive and innovative albums of 2004. Together they called themselves The Foreign Exchange, and appropriately titled the project Connected.

Since the August 2004 release of Connected, on BBE Records, Nicolay has not rested. His production talents have been requested by a slew of artists and record labels and he has received accolades from the likes of Jazzy Jeff, ?uestlove (The Roots), 9th Wonder, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and The Beatminerz, to name a few. Along with Connected, Nicolay now has two other album releases that continue to tell the story of his universal gifts and abilities, while allowing his music to speak for itself.

Have you ever experienced music that makes you say, “That’s it!”? Or a song that harmonized your life in one single solitary chorus? A song that takes you back to a time you wish would never end? This is the story of Nicolay, the producer, the musician, the artist, and the DJ.

• Nicolay Official Website
• Nicolay’s MySpace Profile

1. Foreign Exchange – Nic’s Groove 
   • from 2004’s Connected
2. Nicolay & Kay – Tight Eyes 
   • from 2008’s TIME:LINE
3. Nicolay – There’s No Guarantee 
   • from 2005’s City Lights, Vol. 1
4. Preach – Feeling Real 
   • from 2006’s Garveyism
5. Median – Brenda’s Baby 
   • from 2007’s Median’s Relief
6. Strange Fruit Project – The Plague 
   • from 2006’s The Healing
   • Sample Credit: Billy Stewart – Sitting In The Park
7. Foreign Exchange – Be Allright (Sunday Afternoon Remix) 
   • from 2004’s Connected
8. Cesar Comanche – Jacob’s Ladder 
   • from 2004’s Up & Down 12″
9. 6th Sense – Make Rounds 
   • from 2006’s Flying High
10. THETHYRDAY – Fantastic 
    • from 2005’s The Perfect Experiment 2
11. Nicolay – Light It Up 
    • from 2005’s City Lights, Vol. 1
    • Sample Credit: Al Green – Let’s Stay Together (1972)
    • Sample Credit: Diana Ross and The Supremes – Stoned Love
12. Common – Come Close (Nicolay Remix) 
    • from 2005’s The Dutch Master, Vol. 1
    • Sample Credit: Isaac Hayes – It’s Heaven To Me
13. Foreign Exchange – Come Around 
    • from 2004’s Connected
14. Havana – Life 
    • from 2005’s Life: Living in Fearless Emotion
15. Nicolay – Good Days Are Gone (feat Black Spade) 
    • from 2006’s Here
16. The Chapter – Manor Mind State (Remix) 
    • from 2005’s Us vs. Them
17. Supastition – The Williams 
    • from 2004’s Okayplayer True Notes, Vol. 1
18. Cesar Comanche – Miss You (Remix feat Edgar Allen Floe) 
    • from 2005’s Squirrel & The Aces
19. Little Brother – The Yo-Yo (Remix) 
    • from 2005’s The Chittlin Circuit 1.5
20. Nicolay – My Story (feat Kay & Sy Smith) 
    • from 2006’s Here
    • Sample Credit: Jaco Pastorius – Portrait of Tracy (1976)

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