Nikki Nair has signed to dh2, the dance-focused sublabel of Dirty Hit run by The 1975 drummer George Daniel. The artist announced the deal alongside a new EP titled "The Sick Dimension," arriving imminently.
Nair framed the project with characteristic humor. In an Instagram post, he deadpanned that he "attempted to make house music but failed," adding he "ended up with four mistakes that I will package as an EP." The self-deprecating announcement belies what appears to be a deliberate artistic pivot toward electronic and dance music.
The signing comes months after Nair collaborated with The Avalanches on the single "Together," which featured Jessy Lanza. That track positioned him within a broader current of indie and electronic crossover activity happening across the UK independent label ecosystem.
dh2 operates as Dirty Hit's outpost for club-oriented and experimental electronic work, distinct from the parent label's indie-rock focus. Daniel's curation reflects a willingness to explore genre-adjacent territories. Nair's arrival suggests the label continues expanding beyond its original remit.
The Sick Dimension represents Nair's most explicit foray into house music frameworks, though his framing suggests the EP occupies an experimental middle ground. Whether the project represents a genuine genre shift or maintains the kind of genre-blending approach evident in his Avalanches collaboration remains to be heard. Either way, dh2 has proven adept at positioning unconventional artists within dance music contexts, and Nair's wry sensibility fits that aesthetic.
The EP lands as house and electronic music continues its resurgence in mainstream indie circles. Nair's arrival at dh2 signals another artist testing those waters.