I do not usually start threads, but this is not a thread per se. It is more something I feel I needed to express after having, during these quarantine days being locked up at home, started re-reading stuff I felt I previously didn’t, despite many careful initial reads, give the attention they fully deserved. And right up there, is the work of Nico Heinrich.

I also need to specify that I have no interests whatsoever in these, financially speaking, and that this is purely motivated by the fact that I do sincerely feel that Nico’s ideas deserve to be studied carefully. Personally, very few have inspired me as much as Herr Heinrich lately.

Let me start by pieces that deeply resonate in me, effects that have become mine, as if I had created them myself. Cocaine is one of those. Can anyone come closer to the Real thing? I remember, upon reading this, resting the printed pdf on my lap while raising my head to the sky, in an attempt to fully fathom its beauty and purity. Still in the same project -Pure Mentalism- I remember smiling -and adopting on the spot- when discovering “Intense Reality”. This, to me, is the epitome of the free hit, one that truly costs nothing, no time, no effort, and yet, establishes the performer as the real deal. I don’t even delve into other superb ideas such as “I can’t read you!” or “Subliminal Opener”, as I don’t want to make this a pamphlet. All this from his Pure Mentalism book.

Dopamine was, however, the one project that instead of giving me workable ideas (considering my style), gave me INSPIRATION. How many of you have given the time to fathom the power of “Pure Numerology” or “EZ Billet Opener”? I sure did, and one day I’ll share what they have inspired me. I didn’t see them as routines, I rather extracted the tools within and used them to create something that goes way beyond what I could have imagined, coming up with a prop-less effect that will annihilate even the most skeptical audiences. Of course, if you use disclaimers, my use of those tools and their final result is NOT for you.
Other ideas within Dopamine, such as “HBT subtlety”, are little gems that will truly enhance the way you perform.

Don’t Forget To Play, aka DFTP, is NOT, as I was afraid it would, lacking or falling behind its predecessors in any way. On the contrary. Pieces such as “Audiophile” and “Intuition Monte” are among the most thought-provoking reads I came to encounter these years, and really got my wheels spinning, making me -again- extract the fantastic tools that Nico offered, in order to create something that fit me like a glove. The ‘move’ in “Intuition Monte” is, to me, worth the price of the whole book. What a brilliant idea… Also, whoever doesn’t take a moment to ponder the possibilities of “Anti-predictions” clearly didn’t realize what he was holding.

With this thread I just wanted to give Nico Heinrich a well-deserved -but modest, alas- attention, as I truly feel that his ideas are sometimes overlooked. He has personally inspired me greatly, and he is really gifted with the ability to create truly versatile tools that hold a crazy potential, while being easily adaptable to suit almost anyone’s style.

I hope that he never gives up on mentalism, that he never stops being inspired, and that he never stops sharing with us.

Danke Nico.


Phedon

DFTP, recommended by Phedon in a conversation a while back, changed my mind about Nico's work. I can not recommend DFTP more highly. Give it a look, you will not be sorry.