Nicolay

Dutch-born Nicolay emerged in the mid-'00s as the producer half of underground duo Foreign Exchange, which also included Little Brother lyricist Phonte. His work drew from the boom-bap revival that began with 9th Wonder, but was lusher in sound than that of most producers toiling in the niche, conveying a decidedly romantic streak. It was no surprise that his sound soon opened up on 2008's Time: Line, a collaboration with rapper Kay. He continued to evolve with Foreign Exchange's sophomore album, Leave It All Behind, which pointed towards '80s R&B.