NGHTMRE has carved out a unique space in the EDM world with his high-energy live shows, genre-blurring productions, and collaborations with the likes of SLANDER and The Chainsmokers. From his early days releasing music on Mad Decent to his iconic debut album DRMVRSE, NGHTMRE has consistently pushed bass music into unexplored creative territory.
We caught up with NGHTMRE to discuss his 14-track sophomore album MINDFULL, which delves into the chaos of modern life and finding balance between mental overload and mindfulness. The album features collaborations with heavyweights like A$AP Ferg, Flowdan and Sully, while merging trap, drum & bass and dubstep in a cohesive manner that only NGHTMRE can pull off. MINDFULL showcases NGHTMRE’s sharpened production and ability to open up, culminating in his most personal work to date.
In our exclusive interview, NGHTMRE discusses the influences behind MINDFULL, what fans can expect from the upcoming MINDFULL tour, trusting your intuition and more. 
Congratulations on the release of MINDFULL! What inspired the title, and what does this incredible project mean to you on a personal level?
This album I wanted to make more personal. The title stems from an on-going theme I have been seeing in my own life as a creative and just as a human being. And over the last few years I’ve noticed it’s extremely relatable for everyone. The title is a play on words between MINDFULL (my mind is full) and MINDFUL (like mindfulness). We are all constantly berated by social media telling us what to eat, read, how to make money, and other ppl telling us what is the best way to live our lives. We are forced to be on social media and constantly on ours phone to stay connected, relevant, and exist in the modern world today (MIND FULL).. but in an ideal world, I personally would prefer just spending time writing music, being off my phone in nature, enjoying time with my loved ones and friends (MINDFUL).
Stream MINDFULL below:
Did you take any unconventional approaches to sound design or production with this album?
I really just focused on getting in the studio with no distractions and following my creative inspiration. I tried to come back to the roots of how I got into EDM and what made NGHTMRE a success. I always use a mixture of subtractive synthesis, FM synthesis, and re-working samples In my sound design. Overall there was nothing completely new about how I worked on these. Lots of built-in Ableton synths and audio effects that are simple but always do the trick.
Were there any unexpected influences within or outside of the music industry that significantly shaped MINDFULL?
I’ve always had a wide variety of influences. I grew up listening to hip hop/rap, classic rock, alternative rock, dance music, and everything in between. I think all of these influences have slowly made their way into my music. This album contained a LOT of collaborations, so each song tends to have its own separate influences based on who I was working with!
How does MINDFULL differ sonically or thematically from your debut album DRMVRSE?
While I think my production habits and influences make any music I produce sound like “NGHTMRE”… DRMVRSE was very story driven. I wrote each song about a different step in the Heroes Journey. Whereas MINDFULL I really just focused on following my creative inspiration. DRMVRSE I thought about the listening experience as a whole, and every song flowed into another melodically. MINDFULL I really just thought about what I was currently inspired by and would work great in my live shows, as that is really where most fans get to experience NGHTMRE.
On social media you mentioned that you’ve spent over two years working on the album’s live show. What can fans expect from the MINDFULL tour that they haven’t experienced at a NGHTMRE show before?
Previous years I’d find myself on a Fall Tour, and having my agents and managers asking what the theme and music was for NEXT YEARS tour already haha. I’d always say “guys I haven’t even finished this tour I really dont even know..”
So for this album I specifically I took a lot of time off doing big shows so I could prepare and write this album, THEN schedule the tour. So I wasn’t feeling rushed or behind. We have spent extra time rehearsing and creating timecode moments to each album song so the lights/lasers/video will all be synced perfectly whenever I play them in the show. I think the visual experience of the set will be next level!
The album features collaborations with icons like A$AP Ferg, Flowdan and Crankdat. Was there a particular collaboration that pushed you out of your artistic comfort zone?
Of these 3 I’d say the Flowdan collab! I dont make a lot of Drum n Bass music but I LOVE it. Creating this dnb idea with him was something different from what I usually do but was a fun learning experience. I also collaborated with Sully on that song. He really helped me a lot with this album as far as mixing and sound design goes. He’s an absolute legend and really took this song to the next level.
What are three key lessons you’ve learnt as an artist since your early days releasing music on Mad Decent?
I think theres always a lot of voices/people sharing their opinions when you start to see success. Managers, agents, friends, family, etc… I’m such a people pleaser that I always like to listen to feedback and adjust. But there were a few times that I took other peoples advice over my own gut and intuition. As a creative/artist it’s really important to trust your own vision and stick with that 100 percent of the time. Otherwise you’ll be releasing work that others want, not what you want.
As someone who has toured extensively, how has touring influenced your sound and storytelling in music?
One advantage of touring extensively is being able to test new music every show. There is always a bit of a difference between what a song sounds like on headphones/speakers vs. a large sound system. Having the first hand experience of seeing what works and what doesn’t is a huge help!
What’s been your biggest risk creatively and what did you learn from it?
I personally love ALL types of music. Back in 2017 I put out an EP of purely hip hop. I’ve made Dnb, dubstep, trap, future bass, house and nearly everything in between. I knew early on that when creating a brand, its very valuable to stick to one style, so that fans know what to expect when they click your song to listen to it, or buy a ticket to your show. While I may have been able to create a strong brand and style by sticking to one genre, exploring multiple styles has been much more fulfilling for me as an artist, and I’m glad I made that decision.
What’s next for NGHTMRE? Are there any new directions, collaborations, or surprises ahead?
I’ve got some bigggg follow up collaborations coming this fall and into next year. Nothing I can quite announce yet but I plan on teasing some huge new collaborations for the tour, and hopefully including them on the Deluxe version of MINDFULL.
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