Staff Reviews

Tune-Yards - Nikki Nack

Review by Russell Warfield

The most colourfully painted textures of Tune-Yards’ career.»

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Third album 'Nikki Nack' succeeds the critically acclaimed 'w h o k i l l' (2011) and represents tUnE-yArDs' most immediate work to date. A record that could only have been made by its creator, at heart it's heavy yet still retains a sense of fun. This is explained in part by experiences in between records - like a life-affirming trip to Haiti (which she wrote extensively about for the online magazine written by the artists themselves, The Talkhouse) and her finally catching up with 80s kid's TV programme Pee Wee's Playhouse some 25 years since first broadcast - proving influential during the songwriting process. Her upbringing was also at the forefront of her mind in this period, shown by her subtle use of the traditional American music her parents raised her on to help colour her new creation (her dad's old fiddle too makes an appearance). Experimentation is still key for tUnE-yArDs. Where the loop pedal and the saxophone were main components of the first and second record respectively, it's the drum that takes centre stage here, augmented by greater use of synth and Nate's growing prowess as a bassist. With it's its jump-rope-chant title, the brilliantly playful 'Nikki Nack' continues the tUnE-yArDs story gloriously.
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