Inside ‘Turbulence’: Nick Warren’s first solo flight

Few names in electronic music command the respect that Nick Warren does. From his early days touring with Massive Attack and shaping the sound of Global Underground, to building The Soundgarden into one of the most trusted brands in the scene, Warren’s career has been a masterclass in longevity and reinvention.

Yet, remarkably, one piece of the puzzle was still missing: a solo artist album under his own name. With ‘Turbulence,’  Nick finally closes that circle, delivering a deeply personal record that blurs genres, honors his roots, and looks unflinchingly to the future. We sat down with him to talk about this milestone, the process behind it, and what it means after more than three decades at the forefront of electronic music.

Download here your copy of the first single, ‘Turbulence,’  produced in collaboration with Mercurio.

EG: Hi Nick, it’s wonderful to have you on EG. Where are we finding you today, and what’s running through your mind now that your first solo album is about to be released?

Nick Warren: I’m very happy to be honest. It’s really exciting that the release is just around the corner, after working on these tracks for quite a while.

EG: You’ve released countless compilations and shaped projects with Way Out West, yet this is the first time you’ve put out a purely solo studio album. When you look back, what made this the moment to finally take that step?

Nick Warren: There was no turning point, to be honest, but I did a lot of writing during and after lockdown, and I had a body of ideas, so it kind of made sense to put them together as an album.

EG: If you could play ‘Turbulence’ to your younger self just starting out, what do you think his first reaction would be? And what part of your journey do you think would surprise him most?

Nick Warren: I think he would like it! As well as my progressive influences, there are a lot of guitars which is a reference to my indie roots. The mix of 4/4 and breaks would also please a young Nick Warren.

EG: Artists often say an album is a snapshot of a moment in time. For you, can you point to a specific track, or even a particular melody, that feels like the clearest reflection of where you are personally and creatively right now?

Nick Warren: It is hard to pick just one, so I will give 3 examples. ‘Loveland’ is the first track on the album and one I am very proud of. ‘Midnight Shuffle’ with Mattias Herrera reflects for me the perfect mid-set track that people seem to really groove along to, and the lead track ‘Turbulence’ with Mercurio is almost a “Pink Floyd with beats” track.

“You are correct, it has to be planned meticulously. The difference with a DJ set is that you tend to save your biggest track till last”

EG: You’ve often mentioned how much artists like Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream inspired you. Did you find yourself channeling those influences in the studio this time, perhaps in ways that even surprised you?

Nick Warren: All through the process, I wanted to bring that indie aesthetic to the album. I love merging electronica and guitars, but it has to be done in the right way, not too heavy on the guitar solo vibe. Arpeggios are also used frequently, referencing Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream.

EG: Sequencing an album is almost like telling a story. With Turbulence, how did you shape that story? Did you approach it like building one of your DJ sets, or was the mindset different this time?

Nick Warren: You are correct, it has to be planned meticulously. The difference with a DJ set is that you tend to save your biggest track till last. On an album, the end I personally prefer is almost a calming down of the vibe, which my track with Tripswitch does perfectly.

EG: Collaboration has always been part of your DNA. When you were making this album, were there moments where a track felt like it needed another voice, or did you want to keep it as a purely solo expression?

Nick Warren: There are actually 4 collaborations on the album. Nicolas Rada (of course), Mercurio, Tripswitch, and Mattias Herrera. All producers I admire hugely, and in Mercurio, an amazing guitar player as well. All four of the tracks were ideas I started and then sent to the guys to add their own specific magic. They all did an amazing job.

EG: After so many years of making music for the dance floor, how did it feel to work on music without worrying whether it would fit a peak-time set? Was that liberating, or even a little daunting?

Nick Warren: It is a process I have always enjoyed and also did on my mix compilations. The Global Underground mixes I produced were always about the journey rather than dancefloor domination. They need to be timeless, and I hope this album is the same.

“The ideas that either fail or win, you have to be artistic in your thoughts”

EG: You’ve said Argentina feels like a second home. Do you think the passion and intensity of those audiences found their way into Turbulence, even subconsciously?

Nick Warren: To be honest, I tend to just follow my own instinct when producing music; it’s almost a selfish mindset where I really do not care if anyone else likes it. The ideas that either fail or win, you have to be artistic in your thoughts.

EG: If someone brand new to electronic music asked you to play them one track from Turbulence to explain who Nick Warren is, which would you choose, and why?

Nick Warren: I think I would choose Patagonia, for the dub influences from my early days in Bristol, four to the floor but with a breaks syncopation. It really sounds like me.

EG: Making a full-length album today feels almost like a statement in itself, especially in a world dominated by singles and quick hits. For you, why was it important that Turbulence live as a long player?

Nick Warren: 30 years in the business, and it just felt like this was the perfect opportunity in time.

EG: Looking back, what was the most unexpected lesson you took away from the making of ‘Turbulence’? And looking ahead, do you see this as the start of more solo projects, or as a milestone that stands on its own?

Nick Warren: The biggest lesson was to try not to be doubtful of your ideas. The response has been so great, and I have felt humbled by people’s kind remarks.

EG: Thank you for your time, Nick, and congratulations on this beautiful milestone.

Nick Warren: Thank you!