Nick Vivid is one of those smart cookies who understands that whilst a lot of music’s heavy lifting has already been done for you, it is your vision for the future which is the more important aspect of music making. Or, put another way, merely being inspired by what has gone before isn’t going to fly if you don’t know what you are going to do with such influences. Music makers should be creating a new version of what comes next with every beat and bar, every word and intention. Dontchathink?
And it’s not even that Nick is merely taking common and obvious musical strands to work with; instead, he mines that musical landscape for the most interesting and exciting nuggets, those planted by previous pioneers and then forges them together into deft and dexterous music for the future. How do I know? I’ve just listened to his latest album, Volatile.
“Too Toxic” sets the tone, a forward-thinking dancefloor blend of futuristic flair and retro flavours, hints of funk and disco running through a song that rewrites and reimagines the potential sound of clubland. The shape of things to come? I reckon so.
“Volunteer” takes some Bowie-esque glamour and understated soul grooves, his trademark almost descant vocal lines, and a gentle, swaying groove, and fashions them all into something unique. At the same time, the title track wraps ’80s pop sounds around an ambient electro heart, infectious and hypnotic yet calm and considered.
It comes as no surprise that Nick fashioned his own equipment to make this album; it is because he uses such a singular set of tools that the result is correspondingly unique. And I only choose the word unique until a better one comes along, one that captures just how surprising and sensational, revolutionary and real, the songs found here are.
