Nico Stojan
Nico Stojan is the latest artist to join the Upon You label. Even though he has over 15 years of experience dj-ing and producing, N!co remains somewhat of a newcomer on the underground tech-house stage. New, but definitely not to be missed! Since 2008 he has gained increasing attention through numerous releases with all the major underground labels, such as Bar25, Highgrade, Dantze, Connaisseur, Stil vor Talent and Upon You. So, where does this lively Mr. Stojan come from?
Born in the late 1970s, as a child of middle class west Berlin parents, he studied clarinet and sax for over ten years. As a teen rebel he nicked his uncle´s turntables and set off on his own musical path. He let steam off with hip hop, has taken part in the German turntable championchip and accompanied the rapper-idol Kool Savas as dj and producer for ten years on his tours throughout Germany. His name back then, DJ Nicon, might ring a bell amongst the hiphoppers out there, as he played big festivals such as Splash! or aftershow parties for Eminem and Busta Rhymes.
In 2008, at thirty, N!co Stojan first entered the Bar25 scene on a private level, but quickly found a new playground for musical experimentation. Being assured of his well-trained dj-skills, he was not afraid to bring his colourful vinyl collection, and to throw out classical house-tracks with cheeky mash-ups onto the dance floor. As a reward, he was temporarily taken on as part of the artist rooster at Bar25, and also allowed to play the last set of the final closing party for that world-famous after hour venue in September 2010.
Turning away from hip-hop, Nico embraced a less restrained, electronic music style, which has been a process of maturing for him as an artist. The tech-house productions of the studied musicologist are diverse, sophisicated and well thought through, without sounding constructed. Driving, positive beats, percussions and deep vocals that go under the skin, are characteristic of N!co´s tracks. A good example is his latest track “Wheely”, released on Upon You label. In the beginning of 2011 this little tune spreads an almost contagious happiness on Berlin´s dance floors.
N!co is inspired by all sorts of different musical styles, from hip hop to Jazz and Soul – another source of inpsiration are his recent tech-house co-productions with Philip Bader, Andri, Pele und Niconé. What can be viewed as a further step towards N!co´s musical maturity is his return to his earlier roots: N!co Stojan partly records the instruments himself, as for example the clarinet in Niconé´s track “Caje” (Stil vor Talent), which was also remixed by N!co.
This summer N!co can be seen for the first time, with his Upon You label mates, at the Panorama Bar. Furthermore he will be behind the decks of Empro´s epic Homesweethome Sessions, as well as at the Bachstelzen parties, the Fusion and the SonneMondSterne Festival, in addition to club nights at Coocoon and Watergate. So there are plenty of hints; N!co Stojan will soon enough become a figurehead of the new, in demand Berlin underground sound.