Heard It Here First

Nick Neumann, also known as Neumonic, is becoming one of the most talked about UKG artists stateside. Not only is he a phenomenal producer and DJ, but he’s also a natural curator in the electronic music space who continues to propel the scene forward with every move he makes. Neumonic’s ongoing passion for the underground has allowed him to go beyond just releasing tracks and playing shows, actively pushing forth the UKG sound to the United States.

This year he launched his own record label, Nawty Records, highlighting several US and UK producers. From releasing its first thirteen-track compilation, to dropping sold out merch, Nawty Records has received stellar feedback so far and have big things on the horizon.

Hailing from Santa Cruz, Neumonic has helped shape the electronic scene across the West Coast through his work with the San Francisco collective Garage Access, known for throwing UK Garage shows. They’ve had massive names come out like Sammy Virji, Interplanetary Criminal, Bushbaby, Cesco, Conducta, and more! He also began working with other esteemed labels in the bass music world like Gravitas Recordings and Deep Dark & Dangerous.

Living in California, Neumonic became interconnected with Lightning In A Bottle festival, working as assistant stage manager for the Thunder and Woogie stages, alongside Gravitas Recordings founder, Jesse Brede. He’s evolved into a recognized tastemaker of the UKG sound, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for his project, record label, and music industry endeavors.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Neumonic for an official Heard It Here First interview at the Forest Hills Stadium in New York while he supported Zeds Dead on their “Journey of a Lifetime” tour. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

HIHF: Hey everyone, this is Eliza with Heard It Here First and today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Nick Neumann, also known as…

Neumonic: Neumonic! What’s up?

HIHF: So we are here at the Forest Hills Stadium
in New York. Zeds Dead is headlining for their “Journey of a Lifetime” tour and Nick’s going to be opening for them.

HIHF: It’s my first Neumonic set officially, so I’m very excited 

Neumonic: Oh damn, I didn’t know that.

HIHF: Yes, also I like your shirt by the way. We’re twinning Nawty Records!

Neumonic: She’s rocking the merch, yes. Same with the person that’s filming this as well.

HIHF: We’re all matching!

HIHF: Alright, so take us back to the beginning. Tell us about your journey as an artist. What led to the creation of Neumonic?

Neumonic: What really started Neumonic was just, I mean I’ve always been into the UK sound. I came back from a big trip to London and just really wanted to bring the UK sound over here on a different level. I also got sober when I came back from there. I was trying to look for healthy outlets to do music stuff and I was always very much into the scene but didn’t really put much effort into my own project I think until I got sober and locked in.

HIHF: How would you describe a Neumonic set?

Neumonic: I would describe it as, I guess a dance party is what I’m going for. It is also a heavier sound design than some other dance parties. But year, I’m trying to just merge in between the dancey club styles and the heavy bass dubstep scene. Especially like doing UK Garage in America. Yeah, its been cool to kind of push that into the bass scene.

Neumonic: And yeah, I think people are either pushing it into the bass scene or house scene. I’ve been going the bass bass scene route.

HIHF: Yeah, I feel like UKG is definitely becoming more widespread and you’ve been a great contributor to that in the west coast especially. So you’re a part of an organization called Garage Access, right? Tell us about that!

Neumonic: That’s a San Francisco collective that we have going. We’ve just been bringing over all these UK artists for their debuts. We brought out Sammy Virji, Interplanetary Criminal, Bushbaby, Cesco, Conducta, just a lot of artists. 

HIHF: How long has Garage Access been a thing?

Neumonic: I think it’s like three years. Oh no, I guess maybe like five years. Yeah, cause I remember one of the shows we had to do masks, so yeah. I think it was like 2021 or 2022.

Neumonic: But yeah thats been super fun to bring over this UK talent. And honestly now a lot of other promoters are doing it, so we don’t have to as much. But especially like when that was starting, we were the only people like really doing it out there.

HIHF: So, I also saw you at Lightning In A Bottle this year and you were working there. Tell us about your involvement with LiB.

Neumonic: Yeah, I work for Lightning In A Bottle as well. I also work for Gravitas Recordings. I do a lot of stuff behind the scenes. My boss, Jesse Brede, has been running the Thunder Stage at LiB for years. So when I started working for Gravitas, I started working for him as assistant stage manager of the Thunder stage. Last year I filled in over at the Woogie stage and I ran the Woogie. I was the lead stage manager. But yeah, I just do stage management stuff for them. 

Neumonic: I love Lightning In A Bottle, especially for someone who used to go back in college. Yeah, it’s really cool.

HIHF: This was my first year going, I had an absolute blast! 

HIHF: So you’ve had a massive year with so many exciting career milestones, such as launching your own record label, Nawty Records. Tell us about what inspired you to launch your own label.

Neumonic: Well, kind of like what I was saying, I work for Gravitas and I also do ads for Deep Dark & Dangerous. Yeah I do a lot behind-the-scenes on ads on labels, so I know how it all works. I mean I have like Spotify playlists and I’m doing ads to them. I’m very good at that stuff.

Neumonic: And then I’m also very much like a curator. I really see myself as a DJ before I’m a producer. I’m always crate digging and looking for up-and-coming artists and just smaller stuff. Its been really cool to put on other artists. It was something I was actually gonna do like two years ago, I was going to call it Across The Pond Records. But then I found out there’s a promoter in New York called Across The Pond, so I scrapped that idea. And then yeah, it’s gone through a lot of things and I’m really glad I waited and did Nawty. My project’s bigger now and yeah, really excited on the feedback so far.

HIHF: I love it! Everyone that I’ve talked to also has amazing feedback. Do you know what the future looks like for it yet?

Neumonic: I mean I’m locked in, I’m dialed. I got a single of my own coming out in a week and a half. Then after that I have a single from Xotix, which is cool to have them do some UKG. Then I got Charles Nimbus. I got some more stuff lined up and some cool stuff coming up! And I got “RaveStation Vol. 2” coming out at the end of the year. I’m finishing up curating that right now.

HIHF: So your first release was “RaveStation Vol. 1.” It’s a compilation of thirteen tracks. How did you go about choosing the artists and songs to go on it?

Neumonic: Yeah, that was just reaching out, I mean especially that was like kind of different and kind of hard because I hadn’t actually like, the label wasn’t a thing yet. So I was really like reaching out to artists that I know personally, that I’m a fan of their music. And their a fan of my music. And they trust me enough to give me music with no label. I mean there was also some bigger UKG artists I was talking to, who are gonna have Nawty Records releases in a couple months. But yeah, if you hit up any bigger manager, they wanna see you like establish it, like make sure it’s a thing, right. But yeah, all those people that are personal connections trust me and my taste. They knew I would bring everything to the table. Yeah, I’m just really excited. Its a good mix of US artists I wanted to highlight and UK artists.

HIHF: So, I know you said you have some singles coming out. Do you have any exciting upcoming collabs you can tell us about?

Neumonic: Collabs of mine… Cesco get on the collab, please! It’s gonna be a good one. He’s one of my favorites so that’s really cool. I was actually downloading some more Cesco stuff for today, I really hope he gets on. I have a million fucking collabs, I’m tryna think what’s all going to come out soon. Oh yeah, I guess I’ve been doing a lot with ENiGMA Dubz, I have another one with him. I’m finally getting back into production mode right now and have a million collabs that I need to jump on. I guess I also have a Badger collab, yeah I have a lot. I have Justin Jay, yeah it’s a crazy roster.

HIHF: Yeah, very diverse!

Neumonic: Very diverse, yeah. I was just listing the ones that are probably gonna come out soon, I have a lot. But yeah, the Badger one is almost there and Justin Jay one. Need to figure that out and finish those.

HIHF: Well we are so excited for it and what’s to come for Nawty Records as well! Thank you so much Nick for coming on with us today.

Neumonic: Of course, thank you so much.

HIHF: I’m excited for your set!

Neumonic: Let’s go!

Huge shouts to Neumonic for the sit down interview. Peep Nawty Records’ RaveStation Vol. 1 and be sure to lock in on Neumonic’s journey as he continues to shine in the scene!

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