A Sit Down With DJ Nicole Moudaber

Nicole’s love for music and community led her from a successful career as a promoter to becoming one of the most highly respected DJ and Music Producers in techno and house music today. An international figure, Nicole is also credited for being among the first to bring electronic dance music to Beirut, Lebanon.

 

“What we do, is more than bring people together – you can say we bring people together but all music does that.”

 

In your relatively short producing career your sound has quickly spread across the world, and you possess the uncanny ability to bring the life out of your audience wherever you go. Regardless of background, race, sexuality, etc, there is an aspect about techno music, which allows it to transcend across social boundaries and bring people together. What, to you, makes techno different then any other genre of music?

I don’t think you should just categorize it as just techno, I think you should categorize it as our dance culture. And that is the building foundation of our dance culture is to merge with anyone, from whoever you came from, whoever you are, whether you are rich, poor, black white, yellow, gay, non-gay, this is what we started the foundation with. It’s just to join everybody under one roof and just enjoy the music, and love everybody the same way, and get out form all these stigmas and conventional lifestyles that people put upon us. This is what we started in the first place, and it’s continuing. It’s not techno, it could be anything. The spirituality behind what we do, and the culture, and the basis of it, is that. It’s to all be one and together with everyone – a classless kind of vibe. This is what we do.

Are there any artists you’re hoping to collaborate with that you haven’t yet?

I’ve been in touch with Green Velvet – we have plans to do a record together, as well as Chris Liebing – I’m doing a collaboration with him. Also, Carl Cox wants to do a an EP on my label, on his own, so I’m waiting for him to deliver that. There are exciting names coming through, as well as new kids on the block like Matt Sassari. I just signed an EP with him. Another guy to look out for, his name is Alvaro AM. It’s quite varied. As long as the records hit me and as long as I can play it, then it’s definitely a Mood sound.

When you go to DJ in different territories, all over the world, how do you research what kinds of music the local audiences enjoy?

You know, this comes with experience. I don’t tend to change too much. I play between house and techno and I read the crowd, see what they’re into and build it from there.

You clearly are an expert at playing the computer as an instrument. How has the new technology PLAYdifferently developed by Richie Hawtin helped you grow as an artist this past year?

Actually, it was my first time using this new gear at Awakenings in mid-October— so not long ago. I have to say it has turned my way of mixing around completely because the mixer encourages a totally different way of DJing. It looks nothing like the traditional mixers we are used to. Obviously, getting used to it takes a bit of time, as with any new set up, but I love what it can do for me. Using all six channels allows me to elaborate and go really wild with my semi-live DJ set. That’s what I would call it now, because there are a lot of live elements coming into play not just straight Djing and playing records in the traditional way. I normally have four decks on the go anyway and now having these additional channels allows me to go even further by firing samples that I’ve gathered, one shot hits of any kind of sound or sample loops I have prepared and being able to be creative on the fly all night long. I am so excited now when I DJ and this is only the beginning. There is so much to learn and so much to do sonically with all the new gear and the software that I have at the moment!

How have you seen the American dance music audience grow and evolve since your rise to fame?

Absolutely, I mean I’ve been doing this solid for 3 years now, and I`ve done many festivals in America. And I think the kids, who were probably 18 at the time, are 21 now, and they are allowed to go to clubs. Which means they are able to discover a whole new world, with whole new sounds, with all of these amazing djs who are coming to the states from all over. And definitely, this is where the shift is beginning now, because these people are exposed to a different kind of sound and music. I mean, EDM, what does that mean? You know, it’s pop, trash, commercial, Electro for the “1 IQ” person out there, with a three note melody, like a Christmas carol – common! Its just not clever at all! Its just so stupid. So thank god we have a shift, you know. Come and experience some intelligent and clever kind of sound, basically!

What has been one of your favourite career memories so far?

I would say the first time I did a b2b with Carl Cox at Space Ibiza. That was a moment for me, obviously because he’s such a legend, and he came as a surprise. I was about to get on the decks, on his night, on the Tuesday for Revolution Continues in Ibiza. We were back in the office, I was ten minutes from getting on stage and he just said,“well just play for half an hour, I’m going to hop on and we’re going to do a b2b set together.” I said,“Oh My God!”, so that was quite a moment for me. Obviously we did it again afterwards, but that was definitely a highlight.

You’ve got Guti, Marino Canal, and Alex Tepper all billed on your upcoming Her Dub Material EP. Can you tell us a bit about the sound and what to expect?

This release is a bit different than what I’m known for production wise. It’s very deep it’s very dubby. And it’s the kind of style that I’m really into, and that I play a lot on certain hours. Either on warm-up sets when I do long sets, or after-hours kind of vibe. Obviously I’m a huge fan of Guti, Marino Canal, and Alex. I invited them to do their own interpretations of that single. And I think the package is very strong as it is. Marino Canal is a very very talented up and coming Spanish producer that I hooked up with recently. I invited him to play my Mood day party at Miami Music Week at The Raleigh Hotel pool party, and as well as when we took over Output the following week in New York. He’s definitely one to watch out for because he’s super talented. Guti there’s no need to introduce him; he’s an amazing tech house producer, and I really love his style as well. Alex Tepper is an English based producer as well, and he’s more on the tougher tech house vibe. So the package caters for different kind of floors and different sounds. It’s exciting for me especially, because it’s a bit different than my normal “big room sounding” kind of tracks, if I may say.

Dalt Vila is a very unique and special venue overlooking the beautiful Ibiza Town. What do you love the most about this particular venue and why?

For me, Dalt Vila is very special. I have been living in Ibiza over the past 17 years now so I know a lot about the history of this island and Dalt Vila has an amazing history. It was discovered by the Phoenicians and the Phoenicians are Lebanese right now, I’m a part of it and that is my connection, it is my part of my DNA. It is a magical place, it has a lot of energy, history and is managed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre now. This year has provided another magical moment again like it has with all previous years.

What 3 tracks in your play list never fail to get the dance floors crazy across the world, and why you think they have such an effect?

Psyk – The Eclipse – it’s deep, hypnotic with a distinct deep stab, I’ve been hammering this one just to get me in a deeper mood during my sets.

My remix of Carl Cox – Kommen Zusammen – (it’s deep and tough at the same time with a chunky deep kick with a vocal drop thrown in with tension, it has an interesting drum pattern midway through and it works every time in festivals and club shows alike when it’s pitched down.

Kazbah Zoo & OniWax – New Era (it’s deep tech and melodic which I love. it’s perfect for sunrise moments or after hours)

Where do the audiences go the wildest?

Oh my! Holland, they really like their techno there. You can get really deep and meaningful. Glasgow and the north of England too. They like it really tough. They’re really crazy up there, I love it. They just go off big, ha! In the States, it’s deeper, more chunky. So, there’s a bit of everything. You just follow the vibe, the energy. These days, everyone’s really receptive. People are very clued up. Whatever you play for them, they get it. They’ve been clubbing for a while.

Finally, you run your own label, MOOD Records. What is the release schedule like for your label over the next couple of months and what kind of productions can we expect from MOOD?

I have tonnes of amazing up and coming artists on the label now. I’m going slightly deep and melodic with the next collection of releases. Obviously, I like all kinds of music and want to showcase and play that. MOOD is really, really good at the moment. I am also planning on a remix package for my collaboration with Carl Cox which was my first release on the label. It was called ‘See You Next Tuesday’. Also, I am doing lots of random nights all over the world. I have my own big stage festival with the biggest North American festival organisers, EDC. I’m doing MoodZONE for the second time – last year I did one in New York, this year I am in Vegas. There will also be another one in California in October. I am also doing MoodZONE in Munich, this is another stage festival with Utopia so there is a lot going on – it’s amazing!

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