Recording Studio Sweet Spot: thespacepit — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Dreams really do come true.
Nick Hook has the perfect balance dialed in at thespacepit.
Just ask Nick Hook, proprietor of thespacepit in the green pastures of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. A buzzing home base, it’s become the perfect place for this artist/DJ/producer/mixer/engineer/maniac to create in the way he’s always envisioned.
But besides being ideal for his own grand sonic plans, thespacepit is an open forum for artists from across the spectrum to come inside and express themselves. Since its launch at the dawn of the decade, Hook’s sunlit spot has proven particularly fertile ground for hip hop, EDM, and all things experimental.
Just as important, thespacepit produces legitimate hits. The vocals for Azealia Banks’ viral smash “212” were cut there, as were much of the vox for the critically lauded new Run the Jewels project from El-P and Killer Mike.
Abounding below are music’s outer reaches, inside stories and more. Explore:
Facility Name: thespacepit
Website: http://www.hookemon.com
Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Neighborhood Advantages: For me, living in Manhattan and going into Greenpoint every day for work is an amazing way to separate life and work.
Our little corner of Greenpoint is fairly quiet, so I can keep my focus on doing efficient work while I’m there, and then when I leave I can focus on being a person. Also since it’s a neighborhood on the comeup, I find that the quotient of artists and people taking risks to do new things is a little higher.
Also can’t forget to mention margaritas and tacos at Calexico, our go-to for breaks.
Date of Birth: June.2010. In a very different state.
Facility Focus: Tracking, Writing and Mixing are the focus.
Mission Statement: BE DOPE.
Clients/Credits: Azealia Banks, A-trak, Diplo, ASAP Ferg, Mykki Blanco, Donald Glover, El-P, Killer Mike, Samo Sound Boy, L-vis 1990, Fool’s Gold, Uno, Danny Brown, Doc Daneeka, Big Boi, Fatima, NguzuNguzu, Kilo Kish, Flatbush Zombies, Dreskull, Salva, machinedrum, jesse boykins III, Gaslamp Killer, Dam Funk, Computer Jay, Andrea Balency.
Key Personnel: Leon Kelly-Engineer/musician/producer, Jessie Nelson- musician/ helped build custom stands and studio vibes, Mike Blumenfeld- intern//producer
A Neotek Elan is in command.
System Highlights:
Board – Neotek Elan
Converters – Apogee Symphony 32×32
Outboard – AMS EMT 250, two purple 1176’s, Distressor, Fucifier, Moog analog delay, UA-LA610
Software – Ableton 9/ Protools 10/ Logic 9/ Reason 6
Synths – Moog Model D, Moog Voyager, Arp Odysssey, Roland Juno 106, Roland Sh-101, Korg MS-20, Sequential Circuits Split 8, Dave Smith Prophet 8, Novation Bass station 2, Novation Ultranova, Novation Mininova, Xoxbox, Korg Poly 800, Farfisa
Drum Machines – Roland TR-606, Roland TR-707, Roland TR-727, Roland TR-808 (with MIDI) Roland TR-909, Linndrum (with MIDI) E-mu SP1200, Native Instruments Maschine
MIDI – Ableton Push, Novation Launchpad, Novation Impulse
Distinguishing Characteristics: I think the greatest characteristic of my studio is that it doesn’t feel like a studio.
It has a lot of incredible gear and toys that we all judge each other on, but the thing I’m most proud of is that people come into my room, they feel the love and energy I put into it — making it a place to really focus on capturing energy and slip away into being yourself.
The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it? I take a picture of the wall that everyone has signed. Everything else can go and we can recreate a new legacy at the next place. That wall means everything to me.
Fame of wall
Rave Reviews:
That it doesn’t feel like a studio.
The rappers can smoke as much weed as they want.
The sunlight. Everyone realizes how vital the sun is to creating when it’s actually there for you.
The isolation of Greenpoint.
The proximity of Greenpoint.
That most of the analog world is up and running so quick that we can flip out digital sounds to analog in no time.
The rooftop with the sickest view of New York in life.
Most Memorable Session Ever:
Tied for first.
1. A friend asked me to do him a favor and have this girl Azealia come over. My studio was then just a room, which a Digi 002, no treatment, no booth, Just a room with some nice energy.
We drank a bottle of wine on the roof and recorded. We ended up tracking vocals on a song called 212. It was a wonderful day and we felt good about it, but about nine months later the song caught fire and became a hit across the Internet/world. Right now it has 53 million hits on Youtube, and ended up bringing me to sessions in Tokyo, Paris, London, and 3 months in LA as well as changing the perception of me to someone that could make/engineer/mix real records.
It changed my life forever and I ended up re-investing a majority of the money I made into my studio.
2. In May, I just helped engineer the vocals for the Run the Jewels project El-P and Killer Mike just released with Fool’s Gold. We were down to our last day and we got most everything done. The only planned feature was Big Boi from Outkast, and when we got to the studio that day there was talk of him coming by.
Now being around rap music quite a bit, you learn to take this with a grain of salt. I’ve gone to sessions at 2 AM before to work with Snoop Dogg and he didn’t show…and on down the line.
After we finished our work, everyone was being timid and I was like, “Mike. GET BIG OVER HERE.”
A few texts later the tour bus parked in front of our building and Big Boi was here along with 20 people. The energy was wonderful and it was something that became so full circle in my life, as I grew up listening to Outkast. To the extra luck, Big Boi brought a crew and here is a bit of it.
Session You’d Like to Forget: None. They all make us better.
Dream Session: I think right now I am literally sitting in the dream I had always hoped for. We have an avenue to be creative at all times of the day, and living in a hub of New York everyone is coming through.
Besides all the obvious stuff I think I would really love to do a session with John Frusciante. He used to be in the Chili Peppers and I really think he is one of the most incredible and special musicians of our life.
I dream to produce Bootsy Collins next album. I’d love to work with Bernie Worrell. In my head I wanna work with Dr. Dre, but he’s such a hero that I might wanna leave that intact. I think working with Kanye would be incredibly fun.
Other than that I think right now creating our own legacy in the time we are here is really my goal. I want people to look back at our timeframe and say: “They were doing it.”
– Nick Hook, Founder, thespacepit
No shortage of synths
Creative components
Up close with the Korg MS-20.
Special thanks to Erik Braund of Braund Sound Studio for helping to make this Sweet Spot happen!
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