Very few artists are able to convey in just a few seconds what the very essence of their musical universe is made of ; NIIX is one of them. The young producer is far from being inexperienced at this : being supported by a renowned artist no other than Låpsley, she is making her way in the experimental pop music scene, a rising music genre that has allowed unpopular, weird & distorted sounds to reach the mainstream music world, thanks to artists like Shygirl or Charli XCX. While some artists like Dorian Electra or Arca keep looking for the finest experimental sounds for their next release, some others, like NIIX, try to translate their feelings in music, using vocoder, autotune and electric sounds on a futuristic pop R&B background. Today, she unveils for us before its official release tomorrow on Bandcamp the first track of her EP “I” to come on July 2nd, and it is called “DRV”. Listen to it below !
“Don’t you make me wait
I can’t bear it
And it’s too late to stop now”
– NIIX – DRV
“DRV” is a track filled with seemingly innocent lyrics that take place on an electric, precise, and incisive melody. While NIIX tells in a semi-abstract way the story of two people who have decided that they will turn the night into their playground, the instrumental explores what R&B and hyperpop could be if they merged together ; the result is close to what the softest, calmest tracks of Charli XCX or Kelela could give off in terms of energy. Adolescent feelings arise as we listen to the track, and if you dare closing your eyes, you’ll get to see the movie depicted in the lyrics unfold while shivers keep running down your spine. What a way to make us wait for the release of the EP next month !
In order to learn more about NIIX and to better understand how she makes music and who supports her in the developed of her music career, we have asked her a few questions.
1. Hey NIIX ! Hope you’re doing well ! Can you introduce yourself in a few words for people who don’t know you yet ?
Hi ! I’m NIIX, the Greek goddess of the night. By day, I write, produce and perform electronic music with infusions of hyper-pop and future club. I also DJ and host monthly radio shows on Melodic Distraction (Liverpool), Steam Radio (Manchester) and Longthrow Radio (Bristol).
2. Your artist name stands for « Nyx », the Greek goddess of the night. Can you tell us more about how you chose this name ?
I’ve always been fascinated by Greek mythology. The tales are so fantastical and Greece itself is probably one of my favourite places on the planet to visit. My previous project was called LUNA (the Greek goddess of the Moon), but I rebranded to NIIX because the music I’ve been making over the past year has become much darker, underground and club-infused. So, evolving into the goddess of the night felt like the next natural step.
3. You’ve started working with renowned producer & singer Låpsley, as part of the Brighter Sound Mentoring Scheme program, which must be an incredible experience and opportunity for your music career ! How did you get picked, and what kind of support are you getting from it ?
Brighter Sounds are an amazing charity based in Manchester, focussing on supporting artists who are historically and currently underrepresented in the music industry. I’m one of 13 North West artists to be paired with a mentor to navigate the next steps of my music career, and was indeed lucky enough to be paired with Låpsley ! I’ve followed and admired Låpsley since the early days of her career, so, I couldn’t believe it. We catch up each week and I leave every conversation feeling inspired and motivated, she’s such a lovely and down-to-earth person.
4. You’re releasing your very first single tomorrow on Bandcamp ; it’s called « DRV », and it channels a lot of music influences ranging from experimental electronic music to avant-garde pop and even some form of chilled out hyperpop. How do you write & compose music on a daily ?
I think the way I write music changes from track to track. Sometimes it’s a vocal hook that pops into my head, other times it’s a nice chord progression found by messing around on the piano, or sometimes I even dream whole songs ! I think because I listen to so much different music day-to-day, I never quite know what’s going to come out until I sit in my bedroom studio and start pressing buttons.
5. And are you influenced in any way by other artists, whether they are musicians or else ?
I’d say my debut EP has mainly been inspired by artists such as Charli XCX, SOPHIE and Shygirl. For me, they bridge the gap perfectly between ‘mainstream’ pop and weird, wonky club tunes, appealing to a hugely diverse audience.
6. For this track, it seems like you’re talking to someone, asking them directly to come join you, while exposing explicitly your feelings to your listener. Can you tell us more about the story behind this track ?
DRV is a collaboration with BRYN, a sick DJ and producer and also a friend of mine. He first sent me an instrumental, and it immediately felt « cool », fierce and daring. I pictured two characters, both nonchalant and seemingly disinterested, driving around in a car at night. There’s a party to get to, but neither of them are that bothered because they are the party. The lyrics stem from this story, and end with the invitation to instead ‘slink in the backseat, dim the lights low and drive slow’… Make of that what you will !
7. And how does « DRV » stand out in your future EP « I » that will be released on July 2nd ?
I’d say that each track on ‘I’ is quite different from one another. DRV is the crunchy pop number, but then there’s some floaty garage, some more left-field pop featuring vocals from Liverpool-based singer Remée and even an ethereal dreampop ballad… I can’t wait to share it out into the world, as everyone who’s heard it so far has a different favourite !
8. Last question, which is a question I love to ask : is there an artist you’re keeping a close eye on at the moment ?
That’s a great question ! I mentioned Remée, who features on the EP with me – her vocals are so slick, she’s definitely one to watch. There’s some amazing producers/DJs making waves in the North West of the UK, such as Mystique, LUXE, Loraine James and All Trades to name a few – I’d follow Melodic Distraction Radio and Steam Radio Manchester to keep tabs on their residents !
NIIX’s music will be available on all streaming platforms soon. For now, you can support her by buying “DRV” on Bandcamp and by following her on Instagram !
– disclaimer : discovered through MusoSoup #SustainableCurator.
