I first came across Nicolas’s work at the superb German label 12rec. What first caught my attention (as is often the case) was the unique and visually arresting artwork by Urban9 (who I then asked to do the artwork for my own 12rec release!). The album, entitled Objet Abandonne En Mar, was made with the guitarist Simon Trottier in 2007, and was the first net release I heard (as a relative newbie) that not only hit the expected high standard of releases I expect if I am to listen to over again and again, but surpassed it, becoming one of my favourite releases of 2007. The thing about Nicolas’s work is how unique it is, it really is like nothing else out there. He keeps detailed and very delicate micro-elements in control, making it sound flawlessly simple when in fact it is anything but. He uses grainy elements and distortion better than anyone else I have heard before, timing the movement changes to absolute perfection. Les Arbres is a fantastically developed work, with amazing string sections coming in with lightly moving beats and micro-rhythms on a bed of beautiful noise. Its impossible to define the work (both solo and collaborative) he does, but this only adds to the excitement of future releases. I am left with little doubt that Nicolas is fast developing into one of the most important producers/artists around today.