“It was a whirlwind of gigs and tours and clubs and planes. The life of a DJ in 2001 was a great place to be.” Living the rock star lifestyle “and then some,” Sentience was able to indulge in five star hotels and limousines and enjoyed big pay packets. Like every bubble however, it was bound to burst. “This was before file sharing ruined the music industry. Now promoters are watching every penny.” While the glitz and glamour may not exist as much in the material form these days, many DJs such as Sentience still carry a rock star aura and remain the top choice for headlining gigs across the world. He has become acquainted with the road and is used to never being in one place for too long, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, he is fresh from a visit to his Italian fans. “I’ve just been to Ancona in Italy for a really great party that was full of love for hard trance. Such a beautiful country.” His international travels will next see him return to Australia, after a somewhat lengthy absence, especially in music years. “I’m really looking forward to coming over. The last time I was here was two years ago when I played in Sydney and I lived on the Gold Coast for six months.” Just as his fans feed on the intense energy of his psy trance epics like Sylo and Kinetic, Sentience feeds off the enthusiasm of the fans. “The Aussies are always up for it and are positive crowds, [they’re] always a pleasure to play for.”
He will be heading back down under to ring in the second Fevah party in Melbourne with a massive lineup, following the highly successful 15th anniversary celebration in July. He is looking forward to the opportunity to bring the noise to his Australasian brethren once again and in fact has a long history with Australian and New Zealand audiences. “The Aussies and Kiwi’s in London were the main reason I enjoyed the Fevah and Frantic gigs because they were so up for it. We need more of them in London I think, like 2001.” Now established as one of the biggest brands in the EDM scene, Fevah and its associated events, including Frantic, have come to signify the ultimate live experience across the globe. Now a veteran, Sentience has a unique perspective as someone who was there at the early Fevah parties. Even in those formative days he felt a tangible energy that couldn’t be denied. “I’ve always loved the vibe at Fevah gigs. Back in the day Eamonn and Wayne would put on great parties and I’d always feel welcome when I turned up.”
It wasn’t just the hand-picked selection of music that kept Sentience and everyone else coming back, it was the atmosphere and all the other ingredients that make for a great night out. “I’ll always remember Sambuca shots with Eamon at a club called Tube on a Sunday night after Solid Sunday. Hardcore.” Melbourne’s second Fevah bash, taking place at Room 680 next Friday, will find Nick joined by a host of fellow international globetrotters, many of which he has a long history with dating back to the early Fevah parties, including Danny Gilligan and Paul Robertson. “We all grew up together clubbing and DJing in London in the golden times, circa 2001. I remember when Camden Palace had its doors open every Saturday night.” He credits Danny Gilligan as one of the people that has kept the scene alive and the one that brought him on board for the upcoming event in Melbourne. “Danny [Gilligan] is a legend the world over for being the most up-for-it and energetic DJ and promoter you could find, and always has the party spirit within him. It’s Danny that made all this come together.”
Fellow headliner Paul Robertson is another person who has had a significant role in Nick’s development as a DJ, a producer and a person. “Paul [Robertson] is a good friend of mine from years of clubbing and parties. He has just made a great name for himself in Oz.” In fact Sentience and Robertson helped established each other globally with their epic collaboration, the aforementioned Sylo. Two years after recording the track it was snapped up by Simon Patterson for his Night Vision label and went global, hitting no.1 on the Trackitdown chart. Another of his fellow Fevah headliners has been hugely significant in his life in many ways. That person is his wife and fellow DJ Nikki S. “I have real respect for her as a DJ and promoter. She knows what the dance floor wants, how to fill a club in London, a very hard thing to do these days, and will work her socks off to make everyone’s night as good as it can be.”
Just as the Fevah parties and the EDM scene in general has evolved over time, so too has technology. Gear is now easier to find, more affordable and much more streamlined, so DJs no longer need to lug around heavy analogue equipment. Sentience for one is enjoying the many benefits it provides, particularly in the area of social media. “Technology has improved a lot and there are more ways to connect with people than ever before, so there’s a lot more things to do.”
With the ability to connect with fans and fellow DJs so easily and effectively, Sentience believes social media has made nothing but a positive impact on the EDM scene and live events. “The parties of today are more special I would say,” he says of the interactive element. As a DJ who is constantly on the road and a producer that creates highly emotive anthems his relationship and connection with his audience is highly important. The vibe he gets from the crowd can greatly influence his energy not just in the live setting but in the studio as well. “Usually a good gig is inspiration, when you feel the energy of the dance floor it makes me want to write music straight away.” This could help explain the frantic energy being exerted by someone who is otherwise quite mild-mannered. For a man that has created such floor thumpers as Digital Dialogue and Nocturnal however, Sentience looks to maintain his sanity and does enjoy his relaxation time. “You may be surprised to know that I write chill out music as well. I have been re-learning the piano and using music theory to write whatever genre I like.” While there are no indications on whether any of these tunes will be released, it is intriguing. “The music that gets released has been mainly floor fillers,” he says. As someone who is well schooled in the industry Sentience understands the concept of supply and demand, so he remains prolific in pumping out the intense epics. That is not to say that he doesn’t have other artistic ambitions. “That is just one side of me. I think variety in music is a good thing. I listen to Zen Connection CDs to wind down, they are great.”
Keeping his fans fed and satisfied, Nick Sentience is currently working on the yet-to-be-titled follow-up to 2011’s Syncronized. Always remaining on the edge of technological advances in the EDM world he is working on putting together the live show for the new album, which will be an audio-visual presentation, sinking up graphics with the audio. In addition to his fourth studio album he is also looking at pushing things forward in other areas. Lending his considerable expertise and credentials Sentience is working on creating a sample pack for the Logic software platform, which contains construction kits “to work from and get inspiration from in the studio.” He also reveals that collaborations with Jordan Suckley and Simon Patterson are on the way. From the studio to the office Sentience takes a hands-on approach with everything he does, serving as his own website designer and video editor, as well as being an in-demand studio engineer for other artists. “So there’s always lots to do and lots more to look forward to,” he says with the nonchalant manner of a veteran.
BY ANDREW ‘HAZARD’ HICKEY
