Neida on Drums, Dub Influences & Balancing Emotional Depth with Dancefloor Precision | Faux Poly Interviews

We caught up with Bordeaux-based producer Neida, a drummer turned electronic producer carving out his own distinct space in the bass-leaning corners of France’s club scene. Neida has released on labels like Bad Tips, Maloca, Nezha Records and Scuffed Recordings while building his own imprint, NDA Records. Working entirely in the box, Neida’s process embraces texture, atmosphere, and the “happy accident”. Those unpredictable studio moments that often define a track’s identity. As he looks toward integrating hardware, live dub experimentation, and even drums back into his performances, we dive into the mindset behind his latest club-driven EP and what’s next for 2026.

Q: Hey Quentin can you give us a little insight into where you’re from, your musical career and your local scene?

A: I’m from Bordeaux (France) and I’ve been making music for a while now, starting with the drums in my youth and playing in various bands. Today, I’m lucky enough to make a living from music for 3 years now as a producer and DJ. I've released EPs and tracks on various labels, such as Bad Tips, Maloca, Nezha Records and Scuffed Recordings, to name a few. I’m also running my own label, NDA Records, on which I’ve released a bunch of singles with remixes from Le Motel and Delay Grounds.
About Bordeaux, I would say that it’s not the best city for the music I’m making. It’s pretty much focused on house and hard techno but we’re not so many evolving in the bass, UK-related music so we still manage to be part of the local scene.  

Q: You’ve described the EP as a set of club-driven tracks, each representing a different image or scene. Can you tell us a little more about the images and was that concept in place while writing, or did it emerge later?

A: It emerged later, once the tracks were finished. I sent a bunch of tunes to Kassian and they chose the ones that are on the EP. After that I had to find the titles for each track. That’s often the part where I struggle so I had the idea of playing the tracks to my girlfriend so she could tell me her impressions and the images that came to her mind, except for Function, for which I had a precise idea before composing it. She doesn't really listen to electronic music, so I found it interesting to get a fresh perspective, unbiased by what she might have listened to before.

Q: You mention working entirely in the box using Ableton, samples, recordings, and your own voice. How do you approach sound selection when starting a new track?

A: I don’t use VST instruments such as Serum or Pigments, except for the effects. I’m quite used to working with samples and straight audio files. I found myself quite comfortable by setting the vibe and atmosphere first, with bass and melodic elements, then introducing the beat and more rhythmic parts. I also like to mess with some parameters (that sometimes I don’t fully master honestly) and reach this « happy accident » moment. It’s often what results from that moment that becomes the key element of the track.

Q: Do you see yourself incorporating hardware into your setup at some point, or are you content with Ableton's features?

A: I definitely want to integrate hardware into my setup. The possibilities are endless and amazing with Ableton but I’m a bit tired of staring at a screen, doing all with a mouse and a keyboard… I want to turn knobs, do more stuff with my hands while I’m producing, as I come from drums and instrumental practice in general. I recently acquired a Digitakt II and a Digitone II with two effect pedals as well, a Strymon delay and Source Audio reverb, as part of a new live project focused on dub music. I’ll go into the Elektron wormhole and perhaps do a whole new live set with Neida as well in the future !

Q: As someone equally comfortable DJing and producing, how directly does your time behind the decks feed into your studio work?

A: The way I mix is pretty basic. Sometimes I layer additional elements on top of tracks, whether it’s other track loops, percussions or vocals, but I like to let the track live on its own. I’m not a DJ who mixes and switches quickly between tracks. I think this can be felt in my productions, in which some parts are longer than expected or contain more different sections. But generally I try to find the right balance between producing tracks the way I want them and making them DJ friendly. I think this is an important aspect when you’re making club music and I always try to go in this direction.

Q: What’s coming up for you following the release - more studio work, shows, or collaborations?

A: More studio for sure and play my liveset with those tracks from the EP. I also want to introduce the drums in my productions, whether in a studio or live situation. I've been thinking about creating a live performance with drums for a while now.
I will work on the new live dub project I mentioned previously, Stomp System, as I have some exciting gigs under this alias.I also want to collaborate more with friends and artists, some tunes are in the making with my frenchies Cardozo and Drawbridge. And I miss traveling and meeting new people, seeing what’s being done in other scenes outside of France, so I hope I’ll get the chance to do this in 2026 as well.