Nic Fanciulli is a name that resonates throughout the house and techno world. The 34-year-old from Maidstone in Kent, in the south-east of England, has been DJing for almost two decades, during which time he has played in almost every major city on the planet. He produces his own music, and runs the successful Saved label, which recently celebrated its 100th release in style with a multi-artist compilation.
Now Fanciulli has mixed the next instalment of Defected's In The House, series following recent entries from fellow underground faces Loco Dice and Nick Curly. His attention to detail with mixes is unsurpassed and so, with the compilation imminent, plus a brand new venture in Ibiza this summer and plenty more besides, Defected's Marcus Barnes sat him down for a chat.
“There are so many mixes out there now that, if someone's going to be persuaded to buy one, it needs to be thoughtful. So says Nic Fanciulli when speaking about the latest addition to his catalogue of mix albums. The owner of Saved Records has a reputation for taking his time with putting together mix CDs, and his latest effort for Defected’s In The House series has probably been his longest mix project to date. “I was celebrating earlier this week after finally handing it in after six months… I started it in December!” he says. “Sometimes I overthink it, my brother often sits in with me when I'm doing them, but the reality is this market is so oversaturated that a commercial mix needs to be a viable option for people.”
The way in which Fanciulli approaches his mixes has always been meticulous with no shortcuts and a large amount of time spent crafting his transitions, selecting precisely the right tunes for the right moments. From his superb mix for the highly-regarded Balance series to older mixes for Global Underground and Renaissance, the focus has always been on producing something timeless, making the prospect of buying it all the more attractive. As he says, nowadays there is an abundance of mixes published online every single with blogs and websites clamouring to put them out there, while artists, promoters and labels use them as promotional tools. To stand out in a crowded market takes a fair bit of work and that's where Nic Fanciulli excels.
His process not only involves a carefully considered playlist of music but also concentrates on mixing in key and ensuring the music fits into a variety of listening environments. In order to test run his mixes, Nic will put them on in his car whilst driving around, retouching the parts he is unhappy with. With two CDs to contend with for Nic Fanciulli In The House, the normally lengthy process took double the time.
“With the first CD I was trying to get a very organic feel, I always have the same theory; the first CD should be very melodic and organic, something you can play at a barbeque right through to an after party. This time around, also, I was trying to construct something that would flow into CD two, so you could actaully put it all together and have 150 minutes of music.” His painstakingly crafted mixes flow effortlessly, without a hint of the hard work that has gone into them which makes his efforts even more respectable.
Far from sounding forced or overworked, there's a natural feel to both CDs, as though they were recorded in one take. From Coca District's bumping, sultry 'Meet Me' to the infectious groove of 'Fayall' by Alix Alvarez on CD 1 the sublime through to 'Live At Palladium' by Phil Weeks on CD 2 which is connected to KiNK's remix of 'Freaks' by Ben Sims via one smooth transition after another plus a plethora of other vibrant selections, Nic traverses a variety of styles, bringing together tough tech house with soulful house cuts with aplomb.
The Grammy-nominated producer continues to fly high in 2014, which he proclaims as being one of his best years so far. Fanciulli's name can be found on line-ups all over the world, with his label Saved reaching 100 releases this year and his own party 'La Familia' (conceived with his friend Joris Voorn) due to debut at Ushuaia in Ibiza in a few weeks. “It's something that Joris and I have spoken about for a while, and we've had so much support from Ushuaia,” he says.
His friendship with Dutchman Joris has been long-running and resulted in the duo playing back-to-back at least 10 times a year, giving way to their new party concept. “I heard one of his albums a few years ago, I was in love with it. It was deep melodic techno, I got in touch with him and asked him to do a remix and it blossomed from there. We played back-to-back and people started booking us to do them regularly.
We came up with this fun idea, 'La Familia', we just want to bring a bit of sexiness to house and techno on the island,” he says, before adding, “We didn't want to go in trying to be too cool for school. It's all about the crew coming together, the dancers will dress accordingly, the production will be Scorcese-inspired. There's a lot of interaction, the crowd will be a part of it, we want it to be an experience instead of it just being a regular club vibe.” The duo have worked together at every step of the creative process to knock heads and combine their efforts to make the event the very best it can be.
As his label hit 100 releases earlier this year, Nic counts his blessings, not only for reaching such an epic milestone, but also for the efforts of his brother Mark who was intergral in bringing the anniversary compilation together. “I've always said my brother was an integral part of Saved and I couldn't have done the V/A without his input. I'm just happy we made it to a hundred release without going bankrupt!”
Aside from his constant work ethic, Nic's dedication to his family and friends is also paramount and crucial to his down-to-earth attitude. Having risen up through the ranks in his hometown, Maidstone in Kent, he still lives there with his family and keeps a constant dialogue with the friends he grew up with. As a father he is well aware that prioritisng his tasks is the key to keeping that difficult balance between working, being on the road, making music and spending time with his family. He explains, “The one thing you have to do is prioritise. I still have as much love for music and playing shows, but it's important to stick to what's important. We don't have 9-5 jobs, it's tough but you have to work around it. My family is my priority, but I never take my eye off the music.”
While reflecting on his past he acknowledges that the present and the future are full of promise, revealing that he is in his element right now, “In your twenties you're chasing it, but once you get to your thirties you really start enjoying it then because you're experienced and you can be a bit more considered about everything. I'm enjoying it more now than I ever have.”
This is clear to see when you consider the time and energy he put into Nic Fanciulli In The House, a mesmerising collection that traverses a variety of house and techno styles, splicing them together effortlessly. “It's a stressful thing, especially in my household everyone leaves! I treat it like an artist album, it's the same process for me. If it's going to be on the shelf I've got to put 100% into it...” he insists. 100% focus from a man who is 100% undiluted: an underground hero and a worthy addition to the Defected In The House roster.
Words: Marcus Barnes
Defected presents Nic Fanciulli In The House is out 06 July (2CD and digital) on Defected Records - order on iTunes
Nic Fanciulli plays Ministry of Sound for Defected In The House Saturday 28 June - click for full line-up and tickets
