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The year in music with NLV Records

We set the NLV Records roster the impossible task of summing up their 2016 in just one song

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Weekly updates


Let’s face it. 2016 has been one hell of a year. For better or worse, there are so many things that we want to build on or move on from this year that our work end-of-year parties (and the holidays that follow them) couldn’t come fast enough. And while you’re probably attending your work parties out of obligation but we know of one party you should be clearing your schedule for. Nina Las Vegas, one of Australia’s premier music tastemakers, has only just finished celebrating the first year of her new baby, NLV Records, and now the team are getting ready to do it all again with a series of three end-of-year parties in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Accompanied by her label’s artists, Swick, Strict Face, Air Max ’97, and Lewis Cancut (who are all boundary-pushing producers in their own right), the Nina is about to show us how to send of 2016 in the right way. In the lead-up to the party tour, and get us all in a bit of a retrospective mood, we asked the party-starters to sum up 2016 in one song. Not only is it a pretty accurate depiction of our feelings about the past 12 months but it makes for a pretty sweet playlist in itself. Check out their choices below and make sure you’ve secure your spot at the NLV Records end-of-year parties here.

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01. Nina Las Vegas: Partynextdoor 'Not Nice'

2016 was the year pop music truely embraced the dembow riddim. Plus having always been a fan of Popcaan, it was so cool to hear his influence on the Drake and Partynextdoor records. It was nice to see two of my favourite things combined in that one song.

02. SWICK: Skepta feat. D Double E & A$AP Nast 'Ladies Hit Squad'

This was my most played song on iTunes for this year lol. I really like how it’z chill but still everything hits hard especially the verses. The beat is really sick too. I also like the story of how the song was made that Skepta had sampled A$AP Nast singing some random stuff on Instagram & i also want to mention Rihanna – ‘Work’. I was going to pick that until i checked my most played, it always makes me move!

 

03. Lewis Cancut: Fatima Al Qadiri 'Breach'

Fatima Al Qadiri’s album Brute seemed to be one of the only releases in 2016 which actually captured the feel of the year. I’m not against music as escapism at all, it was just surprising that with the public mood around the world ranging from apprehension to full blown paranoia, that it wasn’t reflected more in music. Here’s to 2017 not being so uptight!

 

04. Strict Face: Kanye West 'Waves'

Everyone can probably attest to how much of a whirlwind 2016 was, and I’m no different. The production on this track basically sums up my feelings on this year. On one side of the coin: worldwide chaos, family tragedies, old friendships ending, trusting people less as your name gets further out there. On the other side: lots of new friends and ridiculous shared experiences, touring the UK/EU and Australia (properly), two releases I couldn’t be more prouder of showing to people (big up NLV and Blacklink each and every) and finally catching up with everyone by learning to cook five dishes without botching the recipe.

 

05. Air Max '97: Mya Gomez 'CCTV'

Choosing just one track for 2k16 is impossible, but I turned to ‘My Most Played’ and settled on Mya Gomez – ‘CCTV’. A rare track that I rinse relentlessly both at home and in the club, CCTV sounds immersive and tough on a big system and its rhythm is lusciously swung. CCTV is from Gomez’s debut EP released on arguably 2016’s most important label, NON. Mya came to Australia for a few months in 2016 and blessed us with some unforgettable DJ sets and hangouts. I’m looking forward to what comes next from her.

Close contenders for my fav 2016 track include waterhouse – ‘Song For a Prince in Exile’, Jikuroux – ‘Only U’, Ziúr – ‘Lilith’, Sky H1 – ‘Night/Fall/Dream’, Solange – ‘Cranes in the Sky’, Rihanna – ‘Sex With Me’, M.E.S.H. – ‘Damaged Merc’, Young Thug…