Nikos Nakos
27 years old
Athens, Greece - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
dj, music lover, co-founder of IamExpat
Some music memories.
Secondary school.
I didn't like Greek music from a very young age, so I was more into pop and classic rock. my older brother was into rock...
The Doors, Rolling Stones, Animals... Nirvana.
But soon I realized that this music was just not my style.
What does "classic" mean for you?
Classic, the way that many use that word, is a song that had massive success, a hit.
I appreciate more the concept and the story behind the track: this gives me the feeling of something that won't fade through time.
Commercial music doesn't last in time.
What is commercial in Greece is dance/pop music, but more close to the eastern music style, it is really popular but nothing of true quality. The traditional Greek music though is something different as it gives you so many cultural and historical aspects.
What I'm trying to say is that I don't like the classic popular folk rock music.
I'm not attached to those songs, they don't stay!
I want to see the future progression in a track, the new production, something alternative and different.
New music trends are important, cause this brings you more knowledge!
Give me an example! What is non commercial?
The Playlist listening for example,
I always want to do something new and progress my music style!
Music tells a lot about the time we're living now, I don't wanna be stuck to old sounds. I like to be aware of the contemporary music and explore new sounds all the time.
This is something comes from my inner inside.
I believe I have managed to reach a good level of open-mindedness with regards to the music and I have collected a quite good music selection from various genres.
The music “track”
I started with CDs from Nirvana, Unplugged, Green Day, The Black album from Metallica.
Then internet in general, Discogs (a digital music library), Soundcloud, Last Fm...
Your first musical production?
My first creations were cassettes. I was recording from radio sources and cutting tracks, collecting many songs.
I was trying to create collections with a relevant content, story, and also a value of record of the time.
I was then creating the name, cover and packaging.
That was a big activity.. drawings, names, titles for specific collection.
Cassette period..
Then with cds. Playlist burned with Nero. And now only digitally.
A memory from that time?
During schooltrip I was making playlist for the party trip!
I was in a student committee and once we collected money from sponsors for a party.
We bought audio equipment and I played playlist edited for that purpose.
It's was a compilation of moments of time.
And what about your dj skills? How did you start?
After that time I bought software I could mix music with. I couldn't play tracks and listening in the headset cause I didn't have headphones.. so I was trying to match them only by remembering.
I went to electronic parties in Athens, I discovered electro, progressive, minimal from Germany, deep house, deep tech, heavy basses.
Tell me about your duo Groove Service!
I was tired also of that scene (the electronic).
Tired of that crowd.
I widened my music style and started to experiment more.
Then I discovered Nu funk, classic funk and soul.
When I teamed up with ILias we started playing music that clearly aimed to the dancefloor
We were mixing familiar songs from the funk, soul, reggae scene but with more effects, electronic elements, beats, digital sounds, and vocals. Vocals from soul 60's, 70's, undergound hip hop scene in US and UK and legendary reggae MCs & selectors.
How does music come out from your website IamExpat?
It's an online review about the expat artists based here. With our future plans for the website we aim to focus on that, because it's about the ones that live here.
A reality not covered by other websites.
Music it's part of the Lifestyle section and in the new version of the website it will be about all kind of artistic events and recreational events
Music section will be handled mainly for promoting festival, events and concerts.
Thanks God in the Netherlands there are plenty of music events.
People come to Amsterdam for the space and openness they can have here, they feel free to play their music and experience art .
We want to promote that area and that freedom through Iamexpat, cause this brings the community closer.
We want to update our readers with all the best music and events that are going on, clubs, parties, and of course projects and alternative ideas that happen in spaces like Rietveld, Rijks Academy, Foam, Smart Project Space, OT301.
With our website, we started with business and practical stuff and now we can go more into depth, touch all the expat –related topics and promote the expat lifestyle in the Netherlands!
It's always good to show your strength: we can talk about expats cause we're expats.
Upcoming projects?
For IamExpat:
A festival called Todays Art.
In Den Haag, September 24th/25th.
What do you do for this Festival?
We're media partners and we run a promotional campaign.
We introduced ourselves as IamExpat and they knew us.
It was nice hearing that!
We focus on the lifestyle in the Netherlands as it is an important part of the expat life
How did it start the idea of IamExpat?
I started working part time, trying to have create an organizational thinking : we were feeling the need to create a community.
Then it became a full time job, turned into a real business!
We can work so many hours and we still have enthusiasm and creativity.
The website reflects our daily life and this is what gives the boost to find more information for expats.
Though IamExpat we send a message about the importance of the expat population and all in all, we give a positive image about the Netherlands and how expat-friendly the country is!
Upcoming projects?
For Groove Service:
We organize a gig in OT301 called “Proved to be Grooved”.
We have gathered a team of expats and Dutch djs/artists, who are going to bring groovy tunes and forms of art in the great venue of OT301.
My latest airplay:
Dj Agent 86 - All About The Money (Badboe re-edit)
Blend aka Mishkin - Love Cup ft African Simba (Farm Fresh Remix)
Terry Lynn & Johan Hugo - Jamaican Girls
Marley Marl - The Symphony Ft. Big Daddy Kane, Craig G., Kool G. Rap And Master Ace
Mos Dub - Summertime Running
The Bamboos - Turn It Up (feat. Lyrics Born)
Tahuna Breaks - Giddy Up
Jungle Brothers - Because I got it like that (Ultimatum Stereo MC's mix)
The Captain - We Will Rock You
Mr. And-7 - Oye La Rumba (Remix)
