Starks and Nacey Full EP download
Nouveau
Riche
They paced the night like a story. They played until people were sweaty and the bar tab was enormous. Then they set their sights on New York.
Disco into 80s pop into hard electro into Baltimore Club anthems. They knew they had done their job when people started swinging from the rafters. Interview by Manuela Antakly.
"Open-minded individuals who leave the club when it closes, sweaty, and with large bar tabs."
Before the modern EDM monolith, the heart of nightlife beat in the hands of crews who understood the sacred art of the dance floor. In Washington DC, that heart belonged to Nouveau Riche. Gavin Holland, Nacey and Steve met while working at XM Radio and built a party DC hadn't seen since the legendary days of Trax and Buzz. Fresh off their City Paper win for Best Dance Party of 2008, the collective was setting its sights on New York.
"We take the pacing of the night really, really seriously," Gavin explains. The evening begins invitingly disco, 80s pop gems, easygoing house, fun hip-hop. As the night deepens, the energy shifts. Electro, banging house music, rave classics, rowdy Baltimore Club anthems. "We know we've done our job when people start swinging from the rafters."
Sees the staggering potential in new waves of production and distribution technology. Influences: Miami Horror, Switch, Blaqstarr, Diplo, Crookers, Drop The Lime, Spank Rock, Jamie Lidell.
Strips things down to a massive bassline or a dynamic hook to command attention. Sees dance music "accelerating towards the cosmos." Influences: Blaqstarr, Annie Mac, DJ Mehdi, Switch, Chromeo, MGMT, Feist, Cut Copy.
"Bass-driven dance music with a hip-hop feel. Ball to the wall bangers with some old school flava in the mix." Green Velvet to Three 6 Mafia to Nirvana to Pantera. Everything, at maximum.
"As things get crazier, we work into harder, wilder types of music. We know we've done our job when people start swinging from the rafters."
Gavin Holland · Nouveau Riche
Where do you see dance music going?
Describe your ideal audience.
"Open-minded individuals who leave the club when it closes, sweaty, and with large bar tabs."
If you could remix anything, what would you choose?
Santogold, Feist, LL Cool J, Blaqstarr, and Rob Zombie's "Dragula." Chaotic dancefloor genius, promised and delivered.
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