Selections: Arp Frique

Welcome back to Selections, a series of exclusive artist-curated Spotify playlists from those in the know.

Producer and musician Niels Nieuborg is the brainchild behind Arp Frique, and a master in world building – weaving together, disco, funk, Caribbean and Cape Verdean influences into his vibrant, dancefloor numbers. His debut album, Welcome to The Colorful World of Arp Frique, self-released via his own imprint in 2018 exemplifies his skill in transporting listeners to brighter climes, filled with funky rhythms and sun-tinged guitar licks.

His exclusive playlist is made up of tracks that retain a similar vividness to his own sounds, but encompasses a wider range of global rhythms. “The past few years I delved deeper into the sound I would personally move to, incorporating it into my musical DNA,” Nieuborg writes. “Dancefloor music with a bite, some sweet and sour, often laced with synthesisers, intense vocals and a variety of drum machines, very much the way I prefer to make music myself.”

“I really don’t care about the language barriers or the country it came from, I can feel the funk in all these selections. Music to me is composed of mainly two elements: sound and emotion. Here’s a small peek into my musical library to understand where I am in my mind currently. A serious yearning for the dancefloor we all share, waiting for things to re-open.”

Add some vibrancy to your lockdown listening.

Arp Frique plays at ESNS, 13-16 January 2021