We caught up with Nick McEnally – British composer, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist – who has just moved into our new creative hub at Tileyard North.

With hundreds of published tracks, Nick’s music has been used extensively on TV and film soundtracks including on BBC, ABC, Amazon, and Channel 4 to name but a few.

It’s over to you, Nick…

We’re thrilled you have joined our creative community here at Tileyard. Why did you choose Tileyard North as your new home?

Thanks, I’m thrilled to be here too! Since becoming fully freelance two years ago, I was starting to think about finding a new space for my studio, as I had been set up at home since the pandemic. So, when I heard that Tileyard was developing a new site in Wakefield to open in 2023, it couldn’t have come at a better time! 

I have been down to Tileyard London a few times over the last couple of years, and I really love how many incredible musicians, artists, engineers and creatives have made their home there and the creative community that’s been established. I wanted to base myself somewhere like that, and luckily Tileyard has come up to my neck of the woods, so it’s worked out great! I’m really excited to become part of the burgeoning new community here at Tileyard North. 

You specialise in creating forward-thinking production music across a range of genres – do you have a particular career highlight that shaped your practice?

I have been lucky enough to have had the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra record on some of my tracks in Abbey Road Studio One – a real pinch-me moment! The experience of top players recording in such an iconic space inspired me to really think about incorporating more orchestral elements in my music, and to explore different ways of combining live instrumentation in my tracks, especially when working on more electronic styles of music.

How does it feel to be one of the first creatives to move into the restored Grade II listed buildings, previously known as Rutland Mills?

It’s fantastic, I’m really grateful to be one of the first residents here. The restored Rutland Mills are truly stunning buildings, and the Tileyard North team have done an incredible job renovating them and creating top-spec studio spaces. Since settling into my studio here, I have been recording quite a bit, and it’s so good to be in such a great sounding room. I’m finally able to crank my amps up when I’m recording and not get any complaints from the neighbours! 

It’s also great to be around the other creatives and businesses who have moved in, including Tileyard X, Reimagine Records and The Music Factory who are all in the same building as me. Also, The Yorkshire Brasserie and The Distillery are doing a great job keeping us refreshed, and as places to take a break and chat to others working at Tileyard North.

After working for over a decade as an in-house composer and producer, how does this inform your work today since going freelance in 2021?

I started off in the music industry by working for a production house in Leeds, where I gained invaluable experience writing for TV, media and production music libraries. I worked with some incredibly talented composers there, a few of whom I am still collaborating with today. So, that leads me onto another great aspect of being at Tileyard North – being able to meet and collaborate with other writers, musicians and creatives, which I think is so important in this industry.

Do you have any exciting projects in the works that you can share with us?

I’ve got several albums in the works for a few production music labels including BMG and Warner Chappell over the coming year. These will include some collaborations with some fantastic singers, and I’m really looking forward to tracking vocals with them in my studio at Tileyard North. 

I have also written and co-written music for Gearbox Records who are based in Tileyard London – they have an absolutely fantastic all analogue mastering studio. It’s been pretty special having Caspar master these tracks by bouncing them to tape and then running them through their all-valve Decca and Maselec EQs and Telefunken limiters.

What is the best way for someone to get in contact with you?

You can send me an email via my website or just send me a message on Instagram – I’m always happy to have a chat!