in: Video
Nicolay's lecture at Red Bull Music Academy 2008, Barcelona (Spain)
On the eve of the release of The Foreign Exchange's 'Leave It All Behind', in October of 2008, Nicolay was invited to Barcelona, Spain to lecture at the world famous Red Bull Music Academy. Watch as he talks in detail about the early beginnings of his musical career and shares his ideas on music production, illustrated by some quintessential tracks from his catalogue.
Source: Red Bull Music Academy
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in: PAST SHOWS
The Foreign Exchange at Eden's Lounge, Baltimore MD | Mar 5, 2009
in: PAST SHOWS
The Foreign Exchange at Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia PA | Mar 9, 2009
in: News
Indie Artists Take Music Technology to the Next Level
+FE Music's Director of Operations and Woman-of-a-thousand-hustles Aimee Flint was interviewed for Rolling Out about the ways in which independent artists can use internet technology to help further their careers.
Source: Rolling Out
· By Sheena Neal
It seems like everyday there's a new singing sensation, rap artist or
one-of-a-kind producer on the rise. In an over-saturated market where
everyone has a MySpace page and is claiming to be the next big thing in
music, independent artists and respective management have to stay ahead
of the virtual curve to ensure that they're taking advantage of the
leveraging opportunities that the internet has to offer.
With the web providing music-related platforms and social networking sites such as Imeem, MySpace, Facebook, Vimeo, Reverbnation, YouTube, Unsigned, Tryxo, and iLike, artists and managers have their pick of the latest technologies to position themselves directly in front of consumers and fans. With so much variety they may not have to choose just one outlet, but can instead be creative in using the sites in conjunction with each other.
Continue reading Indie Artists Take Music Technology to the Next Level
in: PAST SHOWS
The Foreign Exchange at Cat's Cradle, Carrboro NC | Apr 17, 2009
in: PAST SHOWS
The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Mar 6, 2009
in: News
"Take Off The Blues" is Single of the Week on iTunes
The Foreign Exchange's 'Take Off The Blues', featuring Darien Brockington, is this week's 'Single of the Week' on iTunes!
You can download the song for free here, and don't forget to leave your review! To celebrate the song's selection as 'Single of the Week', iTunes this week offers the full digital album, ''Leave It All Behind'', for the sharply discounted price of $5.99! After this promotion, you can purchase the full digital album on iTunes for the new low price of $7.99. So if you haven't already, now is the time to get your digital copy of ''Leave It All Behind''.in: PAST SHOWS
The Foreign Exchange at Highline Ballroom, New York NY | Mar 8, 2009
in: Podcasts
Obey Nicolay podcast on Bama Love Soul
Big up to DJ Rahdu who posted this podcast at Bama Love Soul.
Continue reading Obey Nicolay podcast on Bama Love Soul
in: Photos
The Foreign Exchange at Mixx, Cincinnati OH
in: Reviews
Inside Pulse reviews The Foreign Exchange at Double Door, Chicago IL
Source: Inside Pulse
· By Aaron Coats
Yes, I was privileged enough to be on the media team that was backstage during
Foreign Exchange's performance at the Double Door in Chicago on Friday night. It
was amazing, people. And, it was an honor. There were so many more FE followers
than I expected when I first arrived just a bit after 9pm. I know they are an
amazing ensemble all together (YahZarah, Zo!, ELS, Darien Brockington were
featured, Nicolay and Phonte as Foreign Exchange proper), but I think I just
expected a more concentrated group of fans. I greatly underestimated the Chicago
fanbase... and it felt SO refreshing to have done so. I love when a group as
musically inclined as this gets the credit and support that they deserve.I also learned that it really is about who you know. I originally just wanted to attend the concert as a spectator but after speaking with my good friend Raphael Nash, President of Endangered Peace, somehow he cooked up a situation that allowed me free entry into the concert, a VIP pass backstage, and a chance to meet with all of the artists. It was awesome in the literal sense of the word, not in that Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure/Bogus Journey kind of way.
Continue reading Inside Pulse reviews The Foreign Exchange at Double Door, Chicago IL
in: Reviews
Pitchfork reviews Leave It All Behind
The 2004 album Connected by the Foreign Exchange (North Carolina rapper Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay) was a record of unusual warmth and vibrancy. And yet, one bum line from Phonte still threatens to derail it with every listen-- "Applied for the job of rap nigga/ But I was overqualified." For better or (mostly) worse, this sort of mindset has boxed in just about everything he's done since with Little Brother, his project with rapper Big Pooh. Though obviously in pursuit of commercial adulation and positioning himself as a vanguard of thinking man's hip-hop, Phonte too often casts those who are more successful in simple and condescending terms while offering a one-step solution to all hip-hop's ills-- increased sales of Little Brother records. A slew of missed opportunities and disillusion with the game have resulted in a whole lot of disappointing Phonte projects. But knowing this can't prepare you for just how closely Leave It All Behind hews to its title, as Phonte opts out of hip-hop with a nearly full-on R&B record with exactly two rapped verses. And there's really no way of preparing for how good it actually turned out.
Continue reading Pitchfork reviews Leave It All Behind
in: Photos
The Foreign Exchange at Double Door, Chicago IL
in: Reviews
Gapers Block reviews The Foreign Exchange at Double Door, Chicago IL
Source: Gapers Block
· By Troy Hunter
Forget AutoTune. Forget singing over rap beats (with apologies to Mary
J. and Nate Dogg). Forget where modern day pop R&B is going, and we
can talk about The Foreign Exchange.Long story short, rapper/sanger Phonte of the then-group Little Brother collaborated with Nicolay, a producer located in the Netherlands, in 2002 over IM and email and created an album. Connected was a testament to not only the universality of music, but also how the digital world is letting people meet and collaborate, even when separated by an ocean. The album introduced Phonte singing in long form, something that he'd only hinted at in the Little Brother recordings.
Continue reading Gapers Block reviews The Foreign Exchange at Double Door, Chicago IL