Nina on Breaking Boundaries, Bristol Roots & the Sound of 'Internal Makeup' [Q&A]

Bristol-based artist Nina has spent over a decade shaping a sound rooted in UK bass culture while steadily pushing beyond its boundaries. With early beginnings in drum & bass under a previous alias and a deep connection to vinyl culture, his latest EP Internal Makeup marks a shift towards a more fluid, genre-less approach. 

Blending dub, garage, grime and techno across the 130–140 spectrum, the project reflects both his musical upbringing and his commitment to evolution. We caught up with Nina to talk roots, reinvention, and why versatility sits at the core of his artistry.

Hey Nina, can you give us a bit of background on where you’re from and how you first got into music?

I’m originally from London but have been living in Bristol for the past 11 years. I moved here to study audio engineering and never left.

Music has been my life for as long as I can remember. My grandparents hosted family parties where they played everything from jazz and northern soul to reggae and early dance music like hardcore and breakbeat. That definitely laid the foundation for my musical roots, but it was my dad who got me into DJing.

He used to play at early free party raves in London in the ’90s, and one story that always stuck with me is that he played at the Roundhouse in Camden before it was a licensed venue. He taught me how to mix on vinyl using his old records, which really pulled me into electronic music. From there, I started producing, and by around 16 it had become my whole lifestyle.

What did your early influences look like coming into UK bass music?

I started out producing and DJing drum & bass, which was my foundation for a solid five years. Back then, I went by the alias Transparent and was signed to Flexout Audio, alongside releases on various other labels.

My main influences were artists like Dub Phizix, D-Bridge, and SpectraSoul, while labels such as Exit, Shogun, and Metalheadz really shaped my sound. Over time, I gravitated toward 140 music and became captivated by its slower, bass-driven space. Labels like DMZ, System, and Innamind were a big inspiration, and I was deeply drawn to that sound.

What was the core idea behind Internal Makeup?

I wanted to release an EP that showcased the range of music I produce. Nina is my most recent alias, built around the idea of having no genre boundaries, so I set out to create a project that captured a mix of sounds within the 130–140 tempo range. The EP came together naturally, with support and reassurance from the Faux Poly boys.

There’s a strong mix of dub, garage, grime, and techno across the EP. Do you consciously try to cover a range of styles, or does that happen naturally?

That tends to happen in most of the tracks I produce, regardless of genre. As I mentioned earlier, my early exposure to reggae and dub has stayed with me throughout my life, and it naturally comes through in my music without me even thinking about it.

That said, I made a conscious effort to vary the styles across this EP to highlight the range and dynamics of the Nina project.

How important is versatility to you as an artist?

Extremely important. Versatility represents evolution, and that’s what artistry in music means to me.

How does this EP differ from your previous work, both solo and as DE-TÜ?

This is a representation of how my music has evolved overall. DE-TÜ was very much placed in a dubstep pigeonhole, which I found challenging because I’ve always wanted to push boundaries. That’s why it was important for me to highlight the variation across this EP.

This is Faux Poly’s first vinyl release since 2023. Do you play or mix on vinyl much? And where are your go-to spots for digging records?

I love mixing vinyl. It’s my bread and butter, and where it all started for me. There’s a real sense of nostalgia to it now, as I rarely get the chance to play vinyl out anymore.

My go-to digging spots in Bristol are Wanted Records and Plastic Wax, with Prime Cuts being the spot for LPs and rarer finds.

What’s exciting you most in electronic music right now?

The reality is that most genres have already been explored or rinsed, so the producers who excite me most are the ones pushing into new territory, being weird, and thinking outside the box. That’s the only way the scene moves forward, and whenever I hear something that doesn’t quite fit anywhere, it makes me feel excited and hopeful again.

What’s next for Nina? Anything you can tell us about what’s coming up?

I’ve got lots of UK and EU shows coming up, which is nice and refreshing after spending so much time on tour in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Also, so much music is ready to be released with labels, but also independently, so watch out!

Nina's six-track EP Internal Makeup is out now via Faux Poly.

Get it on Beatport.