‘Real Escape (Disco Despair Remix)’ on Spotify – Apple Music
NICOLAAS releases ‘Real Escape’ remixed by Electronic producer Disco Despair on 21 June via Haven Sounds. This follows the release of his debut single ‘No Stranger Thing’ with remixes by Louis La Roche and Pages with the later released via French music and fashion label Kitsuné. Under his new moniker NICOLAAS, Rob Bakker has already garnered support from Clash Magazine, Earmilk, Mr Revillz, New Retro Wave and Luigi Donatello.
Disco Despair ranked up to the number 5 spot last year on the 3615 Nuit Blanches July 2018 Chart with his remix of ‘Softmachine’ by Sara Havlicek, and his official remix of Australian-based band Parcels’ ‘Hideout’ has received over 80,000 views to date. Previously known as Scape, Lassi Vierimaa (Disco Despair) released the single ‘Be My Friend’ which gained instant recognition on the house music scene. As well as featuring on numerous compilations for Hed Kandi, Sony BMG, Ministry of Sound, MN2S, DMC, Azuli, Mixmash and more for the remixes done by the likes of Seamus Haji, Michael Grey and Ian Carey.
Since then Disco Despair has received incredible support from Mixmag, YourEDM and Earmilk as well as support from various DJs such as Digitalism, D.O.D, Tiga, Cedric Gervais, Tommy Trash Aeroplane among many more. Where his first EP under the name Disco Despair I’m No Good released on Youth, received remixes by Roisto and 5/5 and was played by Morcheeba, Louis La Roche, Modek, Supermen Lovers, The Penelopes, Mike Mago and more. The producer is becoming one of the most in-demand remixers in the Nu-disco scene.
The original song ‘Real Escape’ is relentlessly groovy and will have you trying out your best Saturday Night Fever walk, whether it be down the city streets or on your way from the kitchen to the living room of your house. It’s playful, seductive and smells of living that haute couture life. While Disco Despair’s rendition retains the masculinity of the original track, it has an added sensuality that almost feels like a dance between partners. The track still has that late ‘70s / early ‘80s disco funk that makes it impossible to sit still, the song soars with synth and flirtatious vocal mixing.
Disco Despair had this to say about their take on ‘Real Escape’, “I felt the remix needed a different approach, while still keeping the energy of the original intact. The topline has a great vibe to it, and it allowed for a little musical exploration. I wanted to bring in a little more harmonic movement and some French touch glazed with an 80’s vibe.”
NICOLAAS, former known as Muneshine, has worked alongside a plethora of noteworthy artists: Tom Waits, Pete Rock, DJ Spinna, Sean Price, Fucked Up, and The Herbaliser. He also produced a remix of Portugal, The Man‘s ‘Purple Yellow Red Blue’ that has racked up over 1 million streams on Soundcloud and hit #1 on the Hype Machine popular chart. His single ‘Venus & Mars (Freddie Joachim Remix)’ which premiered on Majestic Casual, gained 940,000-plus plays on YouTube and nearly 800,000 on Soundcloud.
Eventually, NICOLAAS became creatively stagnant within the world of hip-hop, craving inspiration and a new challenge. He has since broadened his creative horizons, testing the waters of genres that he had previously admired from a distance. Traversing the musical landscapes of the ’80s, synth-wave, and funk has brought to the foreground a sound comparable to Breakbot, Gunship, and Kavinsky.
Influenced by disco, boogie, and funk, his sound has been directly influenced by the likes of Nile Rodgers, Blondie, and producer Shep Pettibone (David Bowie, Madonna, Whitney Houston) while also channelling more contemporary artists like Daft Punk, Toro Y Moi and Parcels.