Some producers release albums. Others use them to mark time – to say: this is who I was, and this is who I’m becoming. Eora-based electronic artist Nicche has done exactly that, not once but three times now. His latest record, In Due Time, landed earlier this year on CG Discs, and it’s a confident step into new sonic territory – drum & bass, garage and techno woven together across nine tracks that feel as much like a statement as a tracklist.
We caught up with Nicche on the other side of the release to talk process, patience, and what it actually takes to keep making long-form records on your own terms.
In Due Time is your third album, and the title suggests a real focus on patience and timing. What does that phrase mean to you in the context of this record?
I think that over the years I’ve been putting out music, I’ve too often let this idea of success take over the love of my art and enjoyment of slow and steady improvement.
This album is a reminder – mainly to myself but also anyone that reads this – that if you just continue on your path and ignore the distractions, you’ll end up where you want to be.
You know what you want, even if you don’t yet, if that makes any sense at all! Trust your intuition.
It won’t be fast, it won’t be easy, but if you can accept this and move forward with clarity, what’s yours will reveal itself, in due time.
No Longer Yours came out on Primitive UK, and now In Due Time is on CG Discs — what drew you to that label, and how did they shape the release?
LEVOS (who runs CG Discs) has been a good friend of mine in the music industry for a while now! He is one of the most passionate producers/musicians I have met in Sydney, and I appreciate all the music that comes from him and his label.
Check em out!
The album moves through drum & bass, garage and techno — was that range intentional, or did the project find its own identity over time?
Definitely developed over time! I wanted a pretty diverse range of stuff on here but over the year or two of writing, it slowly became what it is today – which is mostly a collection of my favourite dance tracks through that period. I think the narrative is often the last piece of the puzzle for me when it comes to dance music.
You mentioned diving into ambient and experimental artists like Kelbin, Vladislav Delay and Tom VR — how did that exploration influence this album, if at all?
There’s so many artists you could name that I’ve drawn inspiration from for this one. I’ve just loved the idea of stretching the bounds of a genre to see where it can go.
These artists all hit that mark of taking a genre – a style, whatever – and stretching it that little bit further.
You’ve also started offering mixing and mastering services – has working on other people’s music changed the way you hear and approach your own productions?
It’s been incredibly humbling and inspiring to be able to work on so many talented people’s music!
I think it’s helped me view the mix and mastering process in a less personal way. We can get pretty attached to our productions, which can definitely get in the way of fixing mix problems when starting out – especially if there are fundamental issues that end up changing the core sounds of a song.
Try not to stress about it too much! Save the mixing for after you’ve finished the track.
What was the biggest production challenge on In Due Time that wasn’t present on the previous record?
A lot of the tracks stem from little live jam sessions in my room. Given the nature of a jam, the magic of it is often imperfect. Mixing live sounds – and in particular very dynamic elements – can be tricky and time consuming. Before I embarked on this record I hadn’t had much experience in that world.
Is there a track on the album that best represents the project for you, and what makes it stand out?
Eden, Eden, Eden!! I think this is my best work ever. Can’t explain why sorry, but there’s just the sauce there.
The last time we spoke you talked about needing to give yourself permission to take a break. Has your approach to pacing yourself as a producer changed between then and now?
I think I’m always feeling pretty tired these days – working full time in hospo and trying to balance that with as much production and writing as possible is difficult.
We aren’t all graced with extensive time and financial support, but if you know what you’re supposed to do with your life, you may as well throw everything at it.
I’ll give myself a break next year ha.
What would you say to a producer who’s sitting on a project they can’t quite bring themselves to finish?
If you’re learning, it’s really important to develop the song-finishing ability. Completing the structure and bones of a track is a skill, and understanding the way songs develop is good to know.
However, if it’s not working – don’t force it. Leave it alone and start something fresh. Come back to it later with new perspectives. I can’t tell you how many times I couldn’t finish a song I knew was decent, left it, and came back months later to finish it in a night.
It’s like reading a book when you’re 16 versus when you’re 26. There are going to be things in there that stand out to you that didn’t before.
Now that In Due Time is out – what’s next for you?
I am working on another album of course! I think my time with electronic dance music in the dance track sense is coming to an end.
I’m writing a lot more pop-centric music and finally putting my vocals to work after dealing with a lot of self-doubt and childhood trauma lol.
I’m going to keep improving my songwriting ability and not think at all about how many views my Instagram stories or reels are getting. Remember that you might be famous on TikTok or Instagram, but if your songs and tracks aren’t there yet – what’s it all for?
Nicche’s path – from Liveschool to three albums on respected labels – is exactly what the school is built around. If you’re working towards releasing music of your own, Liveschool’s production courses are where that journey starts.
