Disco DON Russ Chimes joins us again for Lemonade this Saturday. Part of a new breed of producers, him and his buddies Grum, Starsmith and Alex Metric have been causing quite a stir over the past year or so!

To celebrate this joyous occasions Russ has done a little mix, the 4th in his Expressway mix series. Packed to the proverbial rafter with certified bangers, it also features a number of artists we’ve got coming up at The Nest in the next few months… Maxxi Soundsystem, Edwin Van Cleef & Mr Alex Metric himself.

Grab tickets for Russ Chimes, Kiwi & Karin Park  HERE…

Russ Chimes – Expressway 4 Mix by The Nest

If tropical percussion, new school funky synth work and a nod to 4/4 house is your cup of tea, Nottingham/London based ToyC is your man. Relatively new to the game (ToyC released his first original EP work on Nottingham’s MiMM Records earlier this year), he’ll be joining the illustrious talents of Rustie and Melé at our basement disco on 13^th January.

We caught up with Toy C for a little introduction interview ahead of this debut set at The Nest. He was also kind enough to lay down an exclusive promo mix ahead of the party! Enjoy…

The Nest: Hi ToyC, great to meet you! We love your cut a rug rhythms and afro drum layering. Do you approach all your productions with the dance floor in mind? Have your beats failed if nobody’s dancing?

ToyC: I wouldn’t say that’s how I start out on most tunes, but a lot end up that way! At first I was all about making everything as crazy and in your face as possible, but now I’ve learnt less is more in a lot of cases, hence a lot of my new stuff being a lot more stripped down and simple.

The Nest: What was your first clubbing experience like? Has it effected your DJing and production output?

ToyC: My first clubbing experience was actually my first DJ set when I was 16. I spent weeks in advance getting my set perfect and still messed it up. Going to nights has definitely helped with my production. Without hearing your own stuff on a club system it’s sometimes hard to tell what needs changing. Plus the crowd reaction is always a good sign.

The Nest: You’re based in Nottingham. How has the scene there evolved, changed and developed over the years? Where do you play out and where do you like to party?

ToyC: I actually have lived in London for the last 18 months due to University. I couldn’t really comment heavily on Nottingham music scene, but there’s a lot of new exciting stuff going on. I think the scene is slowly moving towards what’s actually happening and coming out of Nottingham, which is great. There’s a big emphasis behind interlinking music with art and clothing, mostly being pushed by Wigflex and Mimm.

The Nest: How did you feel being chosen as the first artist to release on MiMM records? Do you feel you’ve set the bar for the label?

ToyC: Yeah, it was great. I definitely wanted to release my first EP on a label I felt comfortable with. The Mimm guys were the first people outside my friends I sent my music too, so I owe them a lot. I’ve really glad how my EP turned out.

The Nest: For those who don’t know, tell us a bit about the MiMM set up and how its label, shop and events reflect one another…

ToyC: Mimm is ultimately a clothing shop, record label and events all with the main goal of interlinking music, art and clothing. They are taking Nottingham out of its comfort zone and giving more people the opportunity to try something different. For example, they could be running a club night one week and be curating an exhibition the next. They’ve got a select tight knit team who seem to be doing more and more every time I talk to them.

The Nest: Have you got any EP releases scheduled for other labels in 2012?

ToyC: I only have one definite EP down with Audio Doughnuts some time next summer, but as of now I’m talking to a few labels.

The Nest: Your soundcloud has a section of your Rinse radio rips – how important is the station to you as a producer in 2012? Do you rate it highly as a musical platform to showcase your work?

ToyC: Rinse FM as done so much for me in so little time. The exposure it gives to producers of all genres is amazing. Other than your own exposure, it’s a great way to hear new and interesting music that probably would have taken hours trawling soundcloud. It’s through Monki’s show on Rinse FM that Zulu and I hooked up and started making tunes.

The Nest: What can we expect from your set at The Nest on 13^th January?

ToyC: A few new unheard pieces from me and some others and most definitely some kuduro!

Check out the mix here…

TOYC Promo Mix by The Nest

And to buy tickets for fridays show with Rustie, Mele, Stripes, Toy C & more, click HERE