Nico Moreno has grown to be one of the newest pillars of French industrial techno. Touring, album-making and label management ; the producer tells us about his musical career and upcoming projects in 2023.
Hello Nico ! You’re considered as a staple in the current French techno scene. Could you tell us about the style you lean towards ?
To be honest, I can’t. I often get asked to define my style, but I don’t think it’s possible to associate a precise genre to what I play and produce. It’s a mix between many styles, like hard and industrial techno, gabber, hardcore and acid techno… I think many DJs – including myself – have come up with a style that gathers it all.
You started as a mainstream DJ. How is this experience reflecting on your current musical choices ?
Thanks to this experience, I learned about mixing techniques and improved my own. I got to connect with the audience and understood what to play at a given time. It also helped me to produce techno tracks that are different from what I used to play.
What are your inspirations ?
I started by listening to the label Drumcode. Then, I rapidly got to appreciate industrial techno, with artists like Perc, Ansome, Rebekah and so on…
Nico Moreno at the Red Club © Éligraphie
Industrial techno is becoming more and more popular as of late. Do you have an opinion about the emergence of this side of the genre ?
I’m thrilled to see that for the past few years, techno music has grown to be very attractive. People like me can now play out of Europe and discover new crowds, which I find very interesting. We’re also lucky to have a motivated and loving young audience evolving along the techno scene.
You said that during you career, you’ve “been lucky, but luck is something to be attracted”. What would you recommend to young artists who want to strike out ?
Never give up. As for me, producing is the key to success. You can mail your promos to artists, post them on Soundclound and Instagram. Most important : keep your own style and identity ! Don’t try to “do like everybody to be like everybody”. It takes time to develop and grow as an artist, things don’t come out of the blue.
Nico Moreno behing the DJ booth
Although you started DJing at 16, you worked lots of jobs before you could make a living out of music. When did you know it would be your full-time career ?
I sure did work a lot ! I always wanted to make a career out of music, but elbowing your way into this big family and make a living out of it is very hard. I worked a lot of part-time jobs that I didn’t enjoy, but thanks to which I had time to produce and mix every other weekends. It also helped to make ends meet.
Being a full time artist is quite intense, but keeping your feet on the ground is one of your priorities. What helps you find your balance ?
Family, friends and reminiscing that before I had anything. I had to work hard and make sacrifices.
With your new album, 2023 sounds like a busy year for you. Can you tell us more about that ?
For now, there’s no precise release date, but I can already tell you that the album’s name will be “You Can’t Stop the Movement”. There will be eight tracks total, including two or three collabs. It will be released this year on my own label, Insolent Rave Records.
Speaking of Insolent Rave, the next months are going to be a turning point for the label. What projects are on the way ?
I really want to work on my label, even though I don’t always have the time when I’m touring. This year, I plan on releasing tracks of talented young artists every two months. I want to help bringing these rising stars forward, because I think that’s my role now. And I’ll get help myself, for sure. Stay tuned !
You just got out of surgery on your knee after a sport injury. Are you confident about your big comeback on stage and touring conditions ?
To be frank, I’m not feeling confident right now. I’m trying to trust my leg, but I’m quite scared because it’s still feeling very weak. I think that the first few months will be challenging, but over time, it will be okay.
Thank you for your time !
Interview également disponible en français ici 