DJ Nu B; photo by Silversauce
With its new season starting, the Club Contras series in Greenwood, VA found itself looking for some new DJ talent to supply the music for dances. Last month, Brian “DJ Nu B” Murphy made his Club Contras debut. I caught up with him and talked to him about his tunes, his other musical endeavors, and the inspiration he brings and communicates with his DJ skills.
“I attended a Club Contra that Brian Hamshar put on with DJ Solar Sound in February, and really liked doing a dance form I enjoy, contra, to music that I personally think resonates more with the contemporary dance climate--that being EDM (electronic dance music),” says Brian. “I have had several friends my age who are musicians share their experiences of contra, and the universal remark was that the dance form was very enjoyable, but it was tough to really get down to the folksy music. So it was exciting to see the Hamshar brothers trying something new and slightly left-field. My mother Rya and stepfather Will Martin have been heavily involved with the Charlottesville contra dance scene for some time, running the fall festival several years, and with Will providing the sound for club contra, and me being a DJ, it wasn't difficult to make Brian Hamshar's acquaintance and see if we might have some chemistry working together.”
As for DJ Nu B’s music he describes it by saying, “I use a pretty broad palette. I grew up spinning trance and hip hop, and have always loved reggae, but nowadays I'd describe most of what I'm into as house music. I appreciate originality and music with an uplifting quality. I look for quality builds and funky breaks, and devastating drops. I definitely don't shy away from mixing it up. Artists like Butch, Deadmau5, Henry Saiz, Jim Rivers, Guy Gerber, and Pig&Dan get a lot of support....[T]he most important thing is the selection having the right emotional quality for the dance floor at that particular time. Music should be dynamic, especially when DJing, so I always pick my selections live while performing. For Club Contras I use tracks in 4, and they are most always square to start with. But the most important thing is the track being fresh--can it make people move whether they like it or not? Those are the tracks I live for.”
“I always allow my selections to happen organically, fueled by the energy of the environment. In my experience as long as I play quality music, it's been well received. I consider how best to move the dance floor, but not in comparison to some other artist. My sound is always going to be unique; I can play music for hours that the average listen hasn't even heard anything else like, much less the specific tracks. I would say the reception has been fantastic--as strong as anywhere I've played.”
Despite the actual selections being made on the fly, DJ Nu B met with caller and Club Contras organizer Brian Hamshar before he made his Club Contras debut: “We met several times, for a total of four or five hours, to discuss what we were looking for before performing. We had a very similar artistic vision from the start, and I think the collaboration has gone very well so far.”
What makes this gig different than others he’s played? “Well everyone's already dancing, so there's less pressure, for one thing. And of course the music isn't continuously mixed, as it would be in any other event. It's harder to use breakdowns, as a continuous beat is so crucial for the dancers. The wide range of ages also makes things interesting. Generally the aesthetic is more family friendly, less into the sex and drugs side of things. It's just a different environment; they all have their unique challenges and advantages.”
What about his other DJing work? “My most recent endeavor involves working with a vocalist, MC DsTarr, and drummer, Paul Rosner of Trees on Fire acclaim, accompanying my set, so we need to see how far we can push that. I think we have something new for people to hear, for sure.”
I asked Brian about his “shamanic alter ego,” as it seemed to work rather prominently into the marketing for the August Club Contras event and blatant alter egos seem to be a new concept introduced into the techno contra scene:
“Though I call Nu B my ‘alter ego’ it's really an expression of my true self, which is unconfined, empty and cognizant. Accessing this universal consciousness, unencumbered by the constraints of individuality, is really our fundamental mission as humans. Though this is so, as humans we very easily get sidetracked. You could have a sincere discussion of whether the dance floor is even the space to be doing spiritual work. I think it is. I have seen many smiling faces access what's fundamentally true through dance, and so I see it as my responsibility as a DJ to provide that opportunity for spiritual nourishment. There need to be places in the world for this. So Nu B isn't so much an alter ego that influences me as much as my performance is my true expression of the emotional energy that I perceive around me. And I try to use my music to shape that energy in a more loving, caring direction.”
“In general I think America is hungry for a music revolution. We don't have the innate understanding of electronic dance music many Europeans seem to have, but kids are thirsty for this music--I can just feel it.”
DJ Nu B will be spinning for the November edition of Club Contras on November 6, 2011 at the Greenwood Community Center.
As for DJ Nu B’s music he describes it by saying, “I use a pretty broad palette. I grew up spinning trance and hip hop, and have always loved reggae, but nowadays I'd describe most of what I'm into as house music. I appreciate originality and music with an uplifting quality. I look for quality builds and funky breaks, and devastating drops. I definitely don't shy away from mixing it up. Artists like Butch, Deadmau5, Henry Saiz, Jim Rivers, Guy Gerber, and Pig&Dan get a lot of support....[T]he most important thing is the selection having the right emotional quality for the dance floor at that particular time. Music should be dynamic, especially when DJing, so I always pick my selections live while performing. For Club Contras I use tracks in 4, and they are most always square to start with. But the most important thing is the track being fresh--can it make people move whether they like it or not? Those are the tracks I live for.”
“I always allow my selections to happen organically, fueled by the energy of the environment. In my experience as long as I play quality music, it's been well received. I consider how best to move the dance floor, but not in comparison to some other artist. My sound is always going to be unique; I can play music for hours that the average listen hasn't even heard anything else like, much less the specific tracks. I would say the reception has been fantastic--as strong as anywhere I've played.”
Despite the actual selections being made on the fly, DJ Nu B met with caller and Club Contras organizer Brian Hamshar before he made his Club Contras debut: “We met several times, for a total of four or five hours, to discuss what we were looking for before performing. We had a very similar artistic vision from the start, and I think the collaboration has gone very well so far.”
What makes this gig different than others he’s played? “Well everyone's already dancing, so there's less pressure, for one thing. And of course the music isn't continuously mixed, as it would be in any other event. It's harder to use breakdowns, as a continuous beat is so crucial for the dancers. The wide range of ages also makes things interesting. Generally the aesthetic is more family friendly, less into the sex and drugs side of things. It's just a different environment; they all have their unique challenges and advantages.”
What about his other DJing work? “My most recent endeavor involves working with a vocalist, MC DsTarr, and drummer, Paul Rosner of Trees on Fire acclaim, accompanying my set, so we need to see how far we can push that. I think we have something new for people to hear, for sure.”
I asked Brian about his “shamanic alter ego,” as it seemed to work rather prominently into the marketing for the August Club Contras event and blatant alter egos seem to be a new concept introduced into the techno contra scene:
“Though I call Nu B my ‘alter ego’ it's really an expression of my true self, which is unconfined, empty and cognizant. Accessing this universal consciousness, unencumbered by the constraints of individuality, is really our fundamental mission as humans. Though this is so, as humans we very easily get sidetracked. You could have a sincere discussion of whether the dance floor is even the space to be doing spiritual work. I think it is. I have seen many smiling faces access what's fundamentally true through dance, and so I see it as my responsibility as a DJ to provide that opportunity for spiritual nourishment. There need to be places in the world for this. So Nu B isn't so much an alter ego that influences me as much as my performance is my true expression of the emotional energy that I perceive around me. And I try to use my music to shape that energy in a more loving, caring direction.”
“In general I think America is hungry for a music revolution. We don't have the innate understanding of electronic dance music many Europeans seem to have, but kids are thirsty for this music--I can just feel it.”
DJ Nu B will be spinning for the November edition of Club Contras on November 6, 2011 at the Greenwood Community Center.
