Hype fades. Substance endures. Simply put, DJ Nick Warren is one of electronic music’s ambassadors.
Warren has delivered eight editions to the vaunted Global Underground series along with
contributions for Renaissance, the Balance Series and most recently the first installment of The Soundgarden mix compilation series. Although they’re cornerstones of the progressive house lexicon, Warren’s recorded mixes tell only part of the story.
Heavily influenced by fellow Bristol natives Portishead as well as Massive Attack who first drafted Warren to be their tour DJ back in the early 90’s, Warren is equally skilled at arranging and layering
ambient and downtempo pieces as well as mixing club cuts. This balanced approach is on display each month with The Soundgarden, Warren’s inimitable podcast series. These consistently savory sonic collages are at once deeply personal and yet quite forward thinking with warm, lush textures brushing up against emotive, melodic house and techno. Truly something to behold.
As a DJ, Warren enjoyed the busiest year of his career in 2015 as his relentless appetite for new music injected each DJ set with new sounds and with them, a profound sense of vitality and constant evolution. Warren’s sonic diversity and range ensures that each performance is a unique, lightning-in-a-bottle listening experience. Warren’s time-tested approach has allowed him to connect with clubbers on a global scale as he has held court at the finest clubs on the planet including New York’s revered Twilo, Manchester’s beloved Haçienda, Tokyo’s Womb and Singapore’s Zouk. Warren also had the honor and privilege of being the first international DJ to be asked to play in Junior Vasque’s personal booth at the Sound Factory in New York City in the early 90’s.
The humble, stoic Warren has been inspired by Ibiza ever since playing at Café del Mar in 1991. In 2015, The Soundgarden residency took root in Ibiza, where aficionados were treated to unforgettable experiences as Warren was joined by guest DJs like kindred spirits Hernan Cattaneo, Guy J, Eelke Kleijn and Guy Mantzur. The Soundgarden events earned rave reviews from the prestigious Ibiza Spotlight Magazine which named the parties one of the newcomers that came and conquered the white isle in 2015. The party series returns to Ibiza for the 2016 summer season in addition to one-off events set to take place at clubs around the world. The Soundgarden brand is expanding as Warren has launched a record label of same name, and a second installment of the mix compilation series is expected in 2017.
Warren’s ever-present hunger for new music also serves as a driving force for Hope Recordings where he is the label’s A&R man. 2015 saw Hope release the sunny WMC-focused “Never Get Out of the Boat” EP packed with fresh talent, the brooding “Matter of Time” release by Balcazar and Sordo and the towering “Radux,” a slowly simmering collaboration between Vangelis Kostoxenakis & Inner Rebels.
Way Out West, Warren’s legendary collaborative project with fellow Bristol son, Jody Wisternoff, announced their long awaited return in 2015 as their graceful “Tuesday Maybe” track featured on Anjunadeep’s iTunes chart topping 07 mix compilation. Expectations are running high as a new album is imminent from Way Out West in 2016 as Warren and Wisternoff pick up where 2009’s We Love Machine left off.
“Sad Robot,” Warren’s rousing collaboration with Mantzur released in early 2015 on John Digweed’s Bedrock Recordings received support and airplay from BBC6 music, reached no. 4 in the Beatport techno chart and underscored the fact that Warren is an explosive producer in his own right. Add this
dynamic production to a long line of exceptional works such as “Devil’s Elbow,” “La Fabrica,” and
“Buenos Aires.”
Despite all of his accomplishments, Warren is not one to revel in past glories. Though he’s already crafted an esteemed body of work, he is focused on the road ahead. With a jam-packed touring schedule, the launch of the Soundgarden label, forthcoming Hope Recordings releases, a new Way
Out West album along with new original productions from Warren himself all in the pipeline, there’s
still so much yet to come…
Words by Joshua Stephens
