Saved Records frontman Nic Fanciulli makes his Irish return this Friday night at the behest of Dublin-based promoters JACK. After a barnstorming appearance at Kitchen last January, the dynamic Englishman sets his sights on the Button Factory to showcase his extensive armoury of house music. Added significance is placed on the show as it is one of a select few worldwide celebrating the milestone of 100 releases on his record label.
Born in Kent to an Italian footballer father, Nic’s music tastes evolved under the influence of techno-powerhouses Carl Cox and Laurent Garnier. Cutting his teeth as resident at his local ClubClass in the early 2000’s, Fanciulli’s name rapidly grew in stature and since then he has earned iconic status in the industry. Such has been his ascent to the upper echelons of the scene that he now regularly performs back-to-back with Cox, his ClubClass idol. Their joint performance at the Space closing party in Ibiza in October was an immense success.
His prolific Saved Records label has proved to be fertile ground for rising stars, with the talents of up-and-comers such as Italoboyz and Lauren Lane being cultivated in the midst of household names such as Carlo Lio and the Martinez Brothers. It’s on Saved too that Nic’s brother Mark Fanciulli has made several releases, with tracks such as Game Plan and Presets earning him and the label substantial acclaim.
Nic also has close ties to another JACK favourite, Joris Voorn, who played the Button Factory last November. Their stylistic similarities – in particular a mutual fondness towards roof-raising tech house – have seen them pair up for live performances on numerous occasions, including at the Space closing party in 2012 and at Ultra 2013. Indeed it was on Voorn’s label, Rejected, that Nic’s stand-out track was released. Movin’ On – the title track on a two-piece EP – took clubs by storm in 2012, with an unstoppable momentum, a smouldering bassline and familiar female sample preceding the drop making it a reliable floor-filler. Just prior to this release Fanciulli undertook mixing duties for the renowned Balance series, a privilege shared by Mr. Voorn and one for which he received overwhelmingly positive review.
His collaborative experience has no end, with the work of the Buick Project representing a significant departure from Fanciulli’s other productions. The group consisted of six people, including several instrumentalists and a house accomplice in Andy Chatterly. The project served as a true outlet of experimentation for Nic, as their productions frequently incorporated elements of disco and electro.
Nic’s 2013 saw him further showcase his talents as his remixes of Juan MacLean and Paolo Rocco featured heavily in blog chartings and set-lists. Exemplars of fine house, these tracks serve as indicators of his enduring strength in the industry and should undoubtedly underline his intentions as we head into 2014.
Fanciulli will be joined on Friday night by fellow Saved producer Alex Tepper, the veteran mastermind behind innumerous releases over the last 20 years. Dublin producer Dave de Valera and Gavin Kenny complete the line-up for what will no doubt be an incredible night in Temple Bar.
Doors are at 11 and tickets are still available on Ticketmaster: http://bit.ly/1d6LBVx