Chasing Solitude by NikNak
"In my solitude,
You haunt me,
With reveries,
Of days gone by....
...With gloom everywhere,
I sit and I stare,
I know that I'll soon go mad"
Billie Holiday -"Solitude"
Originally conceptualized in early 2022 during her covid isolation, NikNak presents "Chasing Solitude". This project explores the need for Black women to achieve solitude & silence during ever-increasing turbulent times. While it can feel out of reach, it's important to grasp it and immersive ourselves in solitude as much as possible.
With her evolving turntablism practice, NikNak weaves this narrative and draws inspiration from her Jamaican heritage by combining heavy bass lines, scratching patois phrases from Rastafarian elders, orchestral inspiration, melodic synths, samples from space missions and atmospheric field recordings, all manipulated live during her performance at 2022's Deliaphonic Festival. "Chasing Solitude" is also a direct response to the negative strong black woman trope that has been repeatedly used against black women. This album is a clear note that we too deserve and crave peace and serenity.
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
- Audre Lorde
Tracklist
| 1. | Contact | 5:12 |
| 2. | Escapism | 3:50 |
| 3. | Untitled Schedule | 5:41 |
| 4. | Morse Paralysis | 5:56 |
| 5. | The Pier | 9:06 |
| 6. | Escapism 2 (Overwhelm) | 4:08 |
| 7. | Recalibrate | 7:18 |
Credits
License
All rights reserved.
NikNak, an innovative artist with a diverse repertoire, captivates audiences through her music and performances. As the first Black Turntablist to win the 2020 Oram Award, she excels in composition, sound design, DJing, and electronic artistry. Hailed as an artist to watch, NikNak delivers unique sonic experiences through turntablism and spatial electronic music production.