Track of the Week: The Nayler Method. How A Calculated Move to Perth Built a Neuro-Funk Weapon

From production camps in Turkey with Teddy Killerz to the Perth underground: We go deep on workflow hacks, the discipline of Neurofunk, and the reality of starting over.

Nayler (Riley Nayler) isn’t interested in luck. The producer and DJ just took out Track of the Week with his heavy, dark remix of “Arrival” by actively calculating his rise… from winning a major New Zealand festival slot early in his career to flying to Turkey for advanced production training with legends like Teddy Killerz and Gydra.

He moved to Perth specifically for its famous Drum & Bass scene. We sat down with Nayler to talk about the discipline of Neurofunk, the challenge of starting over, and the specific workflow hack that changed his entire approach to making music.

The New Zealand Sell: From Rave to Relocation

Nayler’s journey from a fan of DJ Guv and Noisia to a signed artist started not in a bedroom studio, but on the dancefloor.

“Probably when I was fresh out of school and went to Rhythm and Vines with some mates,” Nayler says. “The festival was unreal and the crowds were nuts, I was sold from the get-go.”

That dedication quickly paid off. He won the George FM DJ competition to play the festival, giving him an instant launchpad. However, after five years building connections in New Zealand, he made the calculated choice to move to Perth.

“I decided on Perth because of its well renowned Drum & Bass scene. I am finding a lot of inspiration from the local Neuro gigs I’ve been to since arriving, there is definitely more of them here than in NZ and it’s sick to see something so niche have its place.”

His biggest challenge here isn’t the music, but the hustle: learning to network and make the right connections again after being established overseas.

The Production Hack: Flow Over Perfection

If Nayler’s sound is heavier and cleaner, it’s thanks to some brutal efficiency training. Earlier this year, he attended a highly specialized production camp with Teddy Killerz and Gydra in Turkey. The main takeaway wasn’t a specific synth patch, but a philosophy change.

“One of my main takeaways was how I can adapt workflow techniques to get ideas laid out quickly. I would spend so long on one sound… you only have so much creative energy, so it is important to get ideas down quickly and paint a picture of where the track will go, and then come back and refine things later.”

This focus on flow and speed over initial perfection is what led to his recent success. The tight 5-6 week deadline on his Track of the Week remix taught him to produce faster, dropping his next song creation time down to just two weeks.

The Track: Arrival (Nayler Remix)

Nayler’s winning track, “Arrival (Nayler Remix),” is the direct result of this disciplined approach.

“The vibe is dark and heavy, almost evil. Super packed with a lot of interesting sounds and still very heavy,” he says. The track, created for a contest, taught him the value of deadlines and pressure. The result is a signature piece of Neurofunk that delivers on his core mantra: No Neuro, No Party.

The Nayler Method: Quickfire

Pass the Aux

Incoming Question from Mooch:

“What is your favourite break sample and where did you sample it from?”

Nayler:

“I’ve got a break pack called ‘WFZ Samples Hard Funk and Jungle Breaks’. I tend to layer them with some of my own drums and it always comes out fat.”

Outgoing Question for the Next DJ:

“How many beers is the right amount to drink before playing a set?”

🔊 Listen to “Arrival (Nayler Remix)” Now: [Link to Soundcloud]

Follow Nayler: [Instagram Link]