Electronic · CA · Active since 1969

Nick Holder

Dusty, jazz-flecked house music that feels like a private conversation at 3am. Soulful loops and hypnotic rhythms for deep focus or late-night reflection.

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Intro

Nick Holder creates a specific kind of sonic sanctuary where the grit of urban life meets the smoothness of late-night jazz. His music is defined by a deep, patient pulse that never feels hurried, often built around warm Rhodes chords, shuffling percussion, and a sense of space that allows the listener to breathe. It is house music, but it is house music designed for the head as much as the feet, favoring emotional resonance over peak-time aggression.

What truly sets Holder apart is his mastery of the loop. He finds fragments of soul and jazz that feel like they could repeat forever without losing their magic, layering them with spoken word passages that add a philosophical, almost confessional weight to the tracks. There is a tactile, 'dusty' quality to his production that suggests a crate-digger's obsession, bringing the warmth of old vinyl into the digital realm of electronic dance music.

To understand his sound, start with the album 'From Within.' It perfectly captures his ability to blend Latin-influenced rhythms with deep, melancholic atmospheres. Tracks like 'Trying to Find Myself' serve as a blueprint for the sophisticated, introspective house sound that influenced a generation of producers seeking a more soulful alternative to the mainstream.

Nick Holder (born 1969) is an underground hip-hop and house music DJ and producer from Toronto, Ontario. Holder began DJing in the early 1980s, and soon became influenced by the Detroit techno scene and DJs such as Derrick May and Carl Craig. He has been producing music since 1991, owning both DNH Records, a house record label, and Treehouse Records, a hip-hop record label. In this period he has produced over 60 records. He has also produced music for labels like Studio !K7 (where he produced 2 albums, One Night In The Disco and Still On Track), Jinxx Records, Poker Flat Recordings, Stickman Records, Ministry of Sound, Peppermint Jam, Definitive Recordings, and NRK Sound Division. Holder's recording work spans house sounds through to disco loops and minimal Chicago style. Holder's single "Da Sambafrique" propelled him to cult producer status, a Latin track played by DJs all over the world. This record set the precedent for Holder's critically acclaimed album From Within and spawned two underground classics; Trying To Find Myself and I Once Believed In U.
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Our Catalog6 Albums · 1996 · 2018
Known ForWeighted across the artist's discography. Tap a trait for examples.
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