‘Nick is perhaps best known for his impeccable production work, which through some sorcery manages to make records sound like they were made on your verandah, but when you think about it, the production values are somehow, impossibly perfect.’ From Chris Cobcroft’s review of McKisko’s ‘Southerly’
I've been recording and mixing people's music for fifteen years or so, working as a producer or engineer or musician; usually in some combination of the three. Sometimes people ask me to set up the mics and tell them if I hear anything that's out of tune. Sometimes I play instruments and make arrangements and help edit song structures, and generally become a collaborator.
My goal is always to help the musician capture their musical ideas in their best recorded form, aiming to stay open to new surprises and fresh perspectives on what people are doing, and with respect to the vision of whoever has involved me.
I love making live records, I've recorded in every kind of room you could imagine and haven't met a dud space yet. I also enjoy tweaking an overdub for three hours that might be heard only in the very back of a mix. Mixing people's home recordings, and doing collaborations with self-produced artists is another side to what I do.
People I've worked with include:
Seagull, Jen Cloher, Mick Turner (Dirty Three), McKisko, Alice Skye, Jess Ribeiro, Bonny Prince Billy and The Marquis De Tren, Kid Sam, Otouto, Oscar & Martin, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Leah Senior, Yffer, Brendan Welch, Golden Syrup, Quivers, Rowena Wise, Charm Of Finches, Tamas Wells, Naomi Keyte, Lawrence Greenwood, Sagamore, Suzie Wyllie, Mary Glenn, James Kenyon, Open Swimmer, The Grand Magoozi, Sweets, Young Werther, Luke Watt, The Harpoons, Whitley, Hello Satellites, Laura Imbruglia, Manny Fox, Fraser A Gorman, Aluka, Sleep Decade, Jimmy Tait, Khancoban, Francolin, Duck Duck Chop, Catherine Traicos, Where Were You At Lunch and other excellent and talented people.
A few of these have been nominated for prizes and have found a wide audience. A few are sadly under-appreciated. All were an honour to work on.
I can be contacted for record making and mixing services on nickhugginsmusic@gmail.com (new email)