Nosaj Thing and Daito Manabe

Nosaj Thing started to delve into music at a young age. By the age of 12 he had already learned the basics of turntables and was producing music on his computer. He was highly influenced by the hip-hop radio stations of Los Angeles and took a special liking to the Beat Junkies’ turntablism. He also listened to a diverse range of electronic artists such as Boards of Canada and DJ Sahdow, who inspired his music. Nosaj Thing was involved in the underground music scene in Los Angeles and played his first gig at the local venue, The Smell, in 2004. While involved in the local music scene Nosaj Thing befriended several like-minded musicians such as Flying Lotus, Daedelus, and Nobody.

In 2006 Nosaj Thing self-released his first EP called “Views/Octopus”. The song “Aquarium” from the EP was later used as the basis for Kid Cudi’s hit single “Man on the Moon”. In 2009 he released his debut album called “Drift”. The album contained an ambient quality created by the ethereal sounds of synthesizers, but also carried a punch with its drum and bass rhythms. The album was released through Alpha Pub Records and received much critical acclaim.

A remix album of “Drift” called “Drift Remixed” came out in 2010. In 2013 Nosaj Thing released his second album called “Home”. The album conveyed a similar electronic sound with hip-hop beats as the first album. The album also featured several guest appearances. Kazu Makino from Blonde Redhead appeared on the track “Eclipse/Blue” and Toro y Moi appeared on the track “Try”.

Nosaj Thing has produced and remixed many artists’ works that have gained him notoriety. He has produced the song “Cloud 10” for Kendrick Lamar and the song “Paranoia” for Chance the Rapper. The artists’ music he has remixed are incredibly diverse and include songs from artists such as Charlotte Gainsbourg, Drake, Boris, Radiohead, Philip Glass, and The xx. Nosaj Thing has also had the opportunity to play at several well-known music festivals such as the Sonar Festival and Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.