Freq Nasty

Born on 15 November 1969 in Fiji as Darin McFadyen and raised in New Zealand, Freq Nasty secured a deal with the influential British independent Botchit & Scarper. That imprint specialises in nu-school breaks, the experimental and abstract strain of electro explored by Adam Freeland, Soul Of Man, Tayo and Rennie Pilgrem. His track “Funky As…” appeared on Freeland’s own Marine Parade label. Sharp electronic beats are offset by unexpected kitsch film dialogue and layers of synthetic squelches and bleeps. On occasion the productions feature vocals from Phoebe One or drum ’n’ bass MC Skibadee. His first Botchit & Scarper release, “Boomin’ Back Atcha”, quickly found favour among underground DJs. Follow-up “Underglass” likewise resonated on dancefloors and in the press, cementing a signature approach built on acidic tones, aggressive breakbeats and robust basslines. Third single “Freq-A-Zoid” took a different route, nodding to Kraftwerk, Daft Punk and Les Rythmes Digitales in an atypical piece of tech-funk that translated across techno, house and hip-hop floors alike. Together with studio partner Blim, Freq Nasty has reworked Sousounde’s “Metisse” and Steve Reich’s “Desert Music”. McFadyen maintains a busy DJ schedule that spans the globe and includes appearances at Norman Cook’s Big Beat Boutique at London’s Scala. Debut album Freq’s Geeks & Mutilations drew glowing notices from the UK music press for its bold experimentation and solid funk foundation.