The Magic Behind ‘I Only Smoke When I Drink’ by nimino

nimino’s ‘I Only Smoke When I Drink’ was probably one of the most unexpected things to come out of the later half of 2024. After Steve Cardigan coined “Stutter House,” the genre largely fell off the map due to controversy about labeling the sound effect as a genre. Most artists in the genre had hit their streaming peak at that point and some went on to tour, including BUNT., who’s high-energy and grateful attitude has captivated fans. I personally didn’t expect for a new asrtist to be able to break onto the scene because most of the artists already out had pretty much perfected the genre. However, this song is well-deserved to gain the popularity that it did.

Culturally, this track just makes sense. It’s a simple and catchy vocal that a lot of party-goers can relate to. It uses a familiar sound (the stutter) that people can easily grasp onto while being different and new enough that it doesn’t feel like a carbon copy. If you go through nimino’s catalog, it’s clear he’s been building his sound for awhile and it was just a matter of time before something hit for him. This track originally caught on from TikTok when nimino posted a fan POV video at one of his sets while he played the song. The energy in the crowd was undeniable and people quickly caught on.

The next day, nimino posted a follow-up video where he is interacting with a fan that has high-energy which I believe helped him connect with his fanbase and build demand for to see him play live DJ sets.

nimino didn’t waste any time, the track was released just three weeks after it took off on tiktok. It was instantly picked up by editorial playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Amazon which only catapulted the track even further. It was also supported by Diplo, Claptone, and Danny Howard in their sets, giving an extra boost to the track. nimino still didn’t stop there, he posted a YouTube video of a live set where he plays the track in full. It’s almost like a music video but doubles as a clip from a live set.

nimino is consistent on his social game which is the reason this track took off, but the music also speaks for itself culturally. He has a knack for social media and it’s no wonder he has skyrocketed his career this year. What’s most interesting to me is how naturally he promotes his live sets and builds demand for them, which is the biggest criticism most “TikTok DJs” get when posting their music online. People are on social media and nimino has done a phenomenal job at capturing their attention while sticking to the culture.

Connect with nimino: Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud