NIKO
‘HATE & LOVE’
ATIC RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: 23RD JULY2012

Atic Records is proud to announce the release of Niko’s second album ‘Hate & Love’. Niko is the operating name of Nicole Vergel de Dios from the US, who brings her musical narration through pop, electronica, electro-acoustic and experimental composition. Her second album ‘Hate & Love’ marries personal, poetic lyrics with meticulously crafted melodies.

The result of an intense four year collaboration between ATIC Records label owners Niko and Andy Turner (Aim), ‘Hate & Love’ sees the Seattle born siren stake her claim as the voice of 2012. With meticulously crafted melodies that stick with you long after the last track has faded, Niko has taken a huge artistic leap forward from her under-the-radar 2004 debut ‘Life On Earth’.

Inspired by the likes of The Beach Boys, Stereolab, Sigur Ros, Sade and Roberta Flack, ‘Hate & Love’ is a deep and often moving collection of songs that refuses to be pigeon-holed.

Underpinning Niko’s accomplished songwriting is Aim’s polished beat making and production which, whilst boasting all the intricacies of his albums Cold Water Music and Hinterland, has a new found depth and finesse. From golden-era style hip-hop banger ‘The Daddy Remix’ thru 80′s boogie & early house flavoured ‘Arigato Mr Roboto’, to the rave-tinged breakbeat of ‘A Life In Dreams’.

Most striking however, are the Niko produced tracks ‘Over You’ and ‘The Blight Of Old’. With sparce backing consisting of little more than keys, upright bass and distant strings, Niko’s voice is laid bare and with these songs, her uncanny ablility to articulate emotion is evident.

‘Hate & Love’ is set to transcend all marketing campaigns and hype. It’s the kind of record that will be discovered by beat heads and music lovers alike. We’re excited to see where it will lead Niko.