Nick Coleman is at the crest riding the wave of a new generation in electronic musicians. Having gone through the paces of classical violin and psychedelic rock guitar, the thick melodic textures of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd particularly resonated with him, though it would be the rapid meters of dance music that would eventually capture his musical psyche. While a degree majoring in violin at Monash University was offered, it would be the siren call of electronica that would secure his soul. Nick’s electronica path brought him to Brisbane’s QUT to complete a Bachelor of Music majoring in computer music composition and production. It would be a warehouse education in Melbourne during the early noughties however, that would directly inspire Nick Coleman’s feet behind the decks.

With Jeff Mills, Thomas Schumacher and Carl Cox providing the early inspiration, once his introduction to electronic music and production was complete, the final step would be to taking this experience on the road. Nick returned to Melbourne and started the task of learning to DJ to combine with his production concepts. He was making some headway with his first vinyl release in 2004 with an electro remix of Root Down by the Beastie Boys. 2007 was the rise of the wave with the release of Faces of Meth, where it reached #5 in the Aria Top 50 Club Charts and was featured in Carl Cox’s international sets. With his foundations in both classical music and electronic production matching his love for the textures of psychedelic rock, Nick’s passions would unite under the banner of minimalist techno. The schooling of this extraordinary electronic artist is quite complete.

This weekend the start of a series of national events that will unite minimal tech house crews from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Underbeats : Grooves of Four Cities_ commences with Brisbane crew Let’s Get Minimal hosting the first event at The Empire Hotel this Friday June 19th in Brisbane. Nick will be featured alongside Blackout colleague James Ryan, with sets from Let’s Get Minimal residents Animated, Beni Hooks and Bowman and an introduction to the minimal techno duo antics of DJs Manesh with Tekka as Digital Divide. To get us in the mood, Nick Coleman invites ITM on his path from Beethoven to Boratto.

You have extensive training in the classical and live music industry, yet you have found yourself in electronica. What was the moment when the penny dropped and you realised electronic dance music was for you?

I think back to when I first heard 90s techno/rave music on a tape a friend gave me for my 18th as a joke – I was blown away. I can still remember the look of utter amazement on my face as a sat on my bedroom floor, speakers blasting. I had no idea who, how, what instruments, were making such cool music.

What do you think you bring to the scene with your musicality and what has the electronic dance community taught you?

I always try and bring an energetic performance to the club. It is dance music so I do get into it. EDM has helped me realised that it is more than just who is playing the music. At a classical recital, you can’t go up to the solo violinist and talk to them, whereas you can to a DJ. That interaction is something unique to the EDM scene.*

What differences do you find in the classically trained music scene compared to the electronic scene? What obstacles have you found you have had to overcome from both areas?

The biggest challenge I found as a classically trained musician was realising that dance music is primarily about dancing. Early on I focused too much on playing melodic dance tracks. Some of the tracks didn’t necessarily have good beats and so people would lose interest.

Brisbane has an exclusive underground scene where the lines frequently blur between the genres. Prog connoisseurs are known to mingle with the techno kids, share the love with the trance crowd or encourage the kids from the harder side of the spectrum. What directions would you like to see the scene develop in?

I can’t really speak with much authority on the Brisbane scene, but I think this is an exciting time for music in Australia. There are more artists beginning to make waves overseas, like The Presets and Empire Of The Sun. This says a lot about the strength of the local scenes to me. I would like to see more interstate relationships develop between different crews and clubs perhaps. It is a great way of knowing what other people are doing across Australia.

What are your thoughts as a classically trained musician on all the intense categorising of the genres in electronic dance music?

I think that that it is no different from any other music style these days. People need to label something so they can sell it; or, as a buyer, determine whether they like it or not, to keep it relative to the style they are currently listening to. If you get enough tracks that sound like the computer is having fits, you end up with someone calling it ‘glitch’. I really don’t pay too much attention. Good music is good music.

But in saying that, why have you chosen minimalism? What is it about the genre that attracts you?

I don’t get to play entire sets of specific genres very often these days but I do love playing techno sets. I place minimal tech-house into the techno genre. For me, minimal dance music has to have really interesting sounds and a sexy beat. It is very easy to take the genre too seriously and play a self absorbed set.

What can Brisbane expect you to drop on The Moonbar’s dancefloor?

All things techy and minimal!

Catch Nick at Underbeats : Grooves of Four Cities this Friday June 19th at The Empire Hotel in Brisbane.