Not many selectors embody the quiet, obsessive spirit of record culture quite like Australian DJ Nick Gencarelli a.k.a Gencia (Commonly known in the shop as Nick G).
Having spent the last few years behind our counter at Phonica Records while steadily building his own reputation as a discerning digger, radio host and party curator, Gencia has become a trusted conduit between forgotten boogie, leftfield house, Balearic oddities and soulful dancefloor discoveries. That instinct has carried him from Australia’s underground scene to London’s vinyl community, where his time at Phonica has coincided with a growing profile as both a DJ and tastemaker. His contribution to Phonica Friends & Family feels less like a DJ mix than a snapshot of that journey: a lovingly assembled collection of records discovered through countless hours in the shop, recommendations traded between fellow staff and releases championed from friends’ labels. As Gencia explains, every track is tied to the community that Phonica fostered around him—a musical education built through shared knowledge, back-to-back sessions and endless conversations over the counter. The result is a warm, deeply personal mix that celebrates the friendships, discoveries and crate-digging ethos that continue to define one of dance music’s most enduring institutions.
Hey Nick, thanks so much for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
Thanks for having me! Basically I’ve been putting aside particular tunes that I’ve discovered throughout my time working at the shop. The mix contains releases I’ve supported, music from friends’ labels as well as tips from fellow Phonica staff members. Special shout outs go to Antony, Patrick, Sam, Daire, Scott, Seb and Simon for sharing their knowledge. All of this music I never would have come across if it wasn’t for the opportunity I’ve had working at Phonica so I’m really excited to be able to share some of these finds.
What are your preferred methods for finding new music – do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
Oh you know I definitely love a dusty crate but honestly playing back to back and sharing tunes with friends is one of my favourite ways to find new music. I’ve been fortunate enough to have lots of opportunities to do this with the fellow shop staff so that’s been my most fruitful method as of late.
What are five records you couldn’t live without?
I mean when I moved to London from Australia I left my whole collection back home and started from scratch over here so there were in fact quite a few I had to live without. But if I had to pick five they would be:
Chemise – She Can’t Love You 12”
All-time boogie tune, scored at Red Light Records in Amsterdam during my first ever visit to Europe in 2016, this was the first record that really kicked off my digging obsession.
Tatsuro Yamashita – Melodies LP
Copped on my first digging trip to Japan in 2018 so has strong sentimental value.
Harvey Sutherland – Brothers EP
Really opened my ears to what was possible within modern electronic music quite early on, I was put on to his music by my Uni friend Duncan and later scored my copy off of fellow Aussie DJ Furious Frank who was moving away at the time.
NCAM – Handle This 12″
’The Bongers’ is an unreal edit of The Bombers – Shake, never fails to get the dance floor started and found a copy via Kev at Jelly Records in Clapton.
Kleeer – Winners LP
The track ‘Open Your Mind’ has been a staple closing tune at my parties for many years now so is an obvious choice. Sourced my copy at a record fair from a dealer called The Vinyl Junkie back in Australia.
Any fond memories or stories from working at Phonica?
Oh definitely filing! You know I’m joking but I honestly don’t think we’d all still be in the job if it wasn’t for the amount of labour that goes into facilitating the customer listening experience. There’s been some pretty fun in-stores and christmas party lock-ins but the most memorable has been some of the nick-names and in-jokes that get thrown around on the shop floor on any given day. Some of my favourites have included “Frank Knuck”, “The Oparrish”, “Omars”, “Fred again? Never liked him the first time!”, “Could heaven ever be like this? I sure bloody hope not!” and “We don’t sell bootlegs, we sell unofficial promotional items!”.
What do you have up your sleeve for 2026?
Sadly my time at Phonica will be coming to an end as I’m imminently moving back to Australia. What’s next for me remains to be seen but my priorities will be a bit of Aussie touring and catching up with old friends, promoting parties and continuing hosting my radio show under my Endless Grooves banner. I’ve got a few ideas for releases and a compilation in the works as well so definitely watch this space and with any luck you’ll still be hearing from me despite the geographical distance.
Thanks Nick, we will miss you and safe travels 🙂
