Hailing from Mannheim, Germany, Nick Curly rose to prominence several years ago on a sound that brought dancefloor sensibility to techno, releasing recognizable tunes on Cocoon, Murmur, and Supernature. Not content as a pioneering artist, Curly also founded the record labels 8bit and Cécille, which have indelibly shaped the tech-house genre by bringing artists like Gorge and Butch, amongst others, into the spotlight. With his debut album, Between The Lines, released in March of this year on Cécille, Curly showcases a mature, musical approach, with cues taken from the various corners of the world he has toured through.
The album begins as any memorable club night should – slowly, respecting the ears of the audience. From “Eastern Culture,” a tracky deep house number, Curly moves on to “Piano in the Dark,” a soft, vocal-driven piece of music that resists a genre tag. Standout tracks include “Glass Ceiling” and “Hairline,” which both feature groovy dancefloor rhythms beneath dreamy soundscapes, a Curly specialty. The album meanders through dark numbers like “Truth Be Told,” and eventually ends up at “Wake Me Up,” the sonic equivalent to a soft bed at the end of a long night out.
The best thing about Between The Lines is that none of the thirteen songs try to steal the show from each other. While each track has a unique personality, some more housey, others more square and pulsating, they all hang together, and that’s what makes this an eminently listen-able dance music album.
Between the Lines can be purchased on Beatport.
Curly is no stranger to top-notch venues, with residencies at Watergate in Berlin and Space Ibiza, amongst others. Come check him out, together with Chicago’s Kate Simko and DC-based resident Chris Nitti, at U Street Music Hall on May 4th.
