Berlin native Nico Stojan returns to Crosstown Rebels, this time teaming up with Italian native Tooker. The two-track EP entitled Frisbee is true to the label, taking the listener on a melodic journey perfectly set for the magical desert of Burning Man or the jungles of Tulum. Frisbee pays homage to the duos’ everyday life and the connection that they have together. “Frisbee was created after spending a beautiful afternoon playing frisbee in the park in Berlin. Nico and I were born on the same day in December and Luna was born during the night of the Lunar eclipse in Sagittarius.”

Nico & Tooker create this scene perfectly as the title track opens proceedings, captivating the listener from the offset with delicate 4 x 4 beat before waves of harmonious elements and melodic synths pick you up and take you on a journey, like a frisbee gliding through the air on a warm summer’s day. Luna further emphasizes the inspiration behind the production. The listener is taken on a metaphorical voyage through the cosmos, with futuristic, space-like melodies and finely placed percussions that twinkle in and out of the track giving a perfect accompaniment to the deeper, darker bass-heavy beats at the core of the piece.

This may be their first release together but Frisbee signifies a deep connection between the two that could fool anyone into thinking they have been producing as a duo for some time. Nico is no stranger to Crosstown Rebels having had previous standout releases on the label such as Killing Your Lover and Belladonna. As the co-founder of Quie Records, together with Acid Pauli, the Berlin native has planned to produce more showcases and present his vision of modern dance music across the globe. This vision is embodied beautifully within this EP. Having recently embarked on a solo career, Italian Christopher Tooker is probably best known as one half of KMLN which has seen him playing exciting parties across the globe including; Wonderfruit, Meadows in the Mountains and Burning Man to name a few.

WWD: Hello Nico, welcome back to When We Dip!

Thanks for having me 🙂

WW: Your love of music began with Jazz and Hip Hop in the early nineties, what was it that made you change to the sounds we are familiar with from yourself today?

Enabling people to dance to music that is not popular or played a thousand times already was making me happier. I felt that it was wonderful to be able to play the music that myself or my friends have just produced and to test it on the dance floor

WWD: How have these experiences influenced your style today?

Jazz, soul, funk, and hip hop are often very soulful vibes and I was always more connected with the balanced music where the feminine and the masculine frequencies meet.

WWD: A lot has changed in the music industry since your first involvement. What’s been the biggest positive change you’ve seen?

Access to music is a big plus and how everyone can listen to everything, wherever they are! That is really great to see.

WWD: And negative?

The payout from streaming platforms like Spotify is a joke, to be honest. It is time for a change as the big labels have ripped off the artists and then built these major platforms. We need to go into the stage of decentralization and that will make everything fairer and better balanced.

WWD: Have the events of the past couple of years influenced the new EP Frisbee?

It’s more something that just happened at the moment. When we were sitting together and working on the grooves and melodies, everything from the past kind of influences you but I cannot say that certain things were key factors. I tend to have a “going with the flow” awareness with my work.

WWD: What brought you and Tooker together for this release?

We were jamming and Frisbee and Luna came out of it! 🙂 When Chris and Shwana split, Chris (Tooker) was staying in my apartment in Berlin whilst I was touring. When I returned we started making some music together while the lockdown was happening, and you can hear the results!

WWD: What is it about your sound that appeals to the Crosstown Rebels label do you think?

The diversity, range, and caliber of the artists for many years now makes the label so interesting.

WWD: What’s your go-to piece of equipment?

At the moment, letting the old synths speak and hopefully feeling the vibe (but it does not always happen). That is what makes making music so interesting. For example, my old Jupiter 4 needs a few hours to get warm until it shows its real voice and capability.

WWD: With everything back to normal now, what can we expect from you this year?

I want to travel less and make more music…I am working on my album and would love to finish it by the end of the year 🙂

Nico Stojan & Tooker – Frisbee – Released 11th March on Crosstown Rebels. Buy Here

Nico Stojan: Facebook // SoundCloud