Based in Brisbane, Australia, Nikko was founded in 2005 by Ryan Potter (vocals, guitar and lyrics), Jackson Briggs (guitar), Sam Whiting (bass) and Blair Westbrook (drums).
The band's music has been described as "post-murder-ballad-rock" and ".as dark as it is wonderfully complex and evocative."
Nikko's debut album, 'The Warm Side', is a collection of nine songs written between 2007-2009. 'The Warm Side' is the culmination of years of solid gigging, self-recording and self-releasing that has seen Nikko refine their genre-blending style.
'The Warm Side' has received much critical acclaim since its 2010 release, with Sputnikmusic declaring it as ".one of the best Australian albums of the year". Brisbane's RAVE Magazine gave the album 4 and 1/2 stars, saying that "For a debut album, it is pretty much as close to perfect as you can get." 'The Warm Side' also received highly positive reviews in TimeOff, Scene, Mess+Noise and The Canberra Times, and single 'Wedding Song' was named RAVE Magazine's Single of the Week.
The band's latest EP, a live recording entitled 'Live at The Tote', received 4 and 1/2 stars in Time Off Magazine.
Nikko have developed a strong presence within the Brisbane music scene as well as further afield, having toured the Australian east coast multiple times in the last two years.
The band will begin work on a follow-up to The Warm Side in the coming months.
Please contact the band at: nikkomusic@hotmail.com or phone Sam: +(61)422 746 340
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The Warm Side (Tenzenmen/FUSE) Available here: http://nikko.bigcartel.com/
".one of the best Australian albums of the year so far" - Sputnikmusic
"Their music is as dark as it is wonderfully complex and evocative."
"Writing the soundtrack to the ache of the modern world is no easy task. On the worn path, most bands you're likely to discover (especially in Brisbane) prefer to consort, and win you over by exploring the more positive side of the musical coin. This is what makes Nikko's debut album so good. Opening tracks 'Wedding Song' and 'Fists' show a level of self confidence in their post-murder-ballad-rock style that has been well worth the three years wait to be realised. Seeing these songs performed live should be at the top of your to-do list" - Jacob Hicks, Scene Magazine
"For a debut album, it is pretty much as close to perfect as you can get. Nikko have created a work of art that is best enjoyed all at once, leaving the listener feeling like they've just had an unexpected revelation."
"****1/2" - Tian Zhang, RAVE Magazine
"The Warm Side is a mature and ambitious debut album from a young Brisbane quintet that, like scotch, takes a little time to soak in and will only keep improving with age" - Tyler McLoughlan, Time Off
"There are no corners cut here, and not a moment wasted. On 'The Warm Side', Nikko oscillate between the subtle and the bombastic, while proving themselves as prime candidates for Australia's post-rock crown" - Andrew McMillen, Mess+Noise
Available in hardcopy and digital-versions @ http://nikko.bandcamp.com/album/the-warm-side, or in hard-copy in stores around Australia.
Any store in Australia & New Zealand can order the album, so if your local doesn't have it, ask them to order it in.
Nikko
Live At The Tote
"A brilliant live album is characterized by two points of interest: sound quality and the capturing of the moment. Nikko have managed to hit two holes in one. The sound is almost unspoiled, with only a few blemishes to remind listeners that this was a living, breathing experience. You can almost smell the fermenting beer, and feel the foundations of the room vibrating as the walls of distortion reverberate off them. The music broods and lingers patiently; then it erupts. Sparse fretwork and ambient passages are peppered with violin melodies that crescendo up into a state of violent delirium.
If this album has one Achilles heel moment it would be the crowd reaction - audience participation is almost non-existent. A performance like this should be welcomed with a 40,000 strong roar. Perhaps at the time they were too busy trying to pull themselves from their state of bewilderment. After listening to this album, you'll struggle to do the same. One of the most accomplished bands in the genre at the height of their power.
**** 1/2" - Scott Thompson, Time Off
"Few Brisbanites need much convincing of the live chops of our favourite post-rockers. This live set recorded at The Tote in Melbourne may help the rest of you."
".The newer tracks up the front are more vocal heavy and might remind one a bit of the Drones: where singing in tune is less important than just how drunkenly menacing you can be. Like an inebriated phone call at 2 o'clock in the morning from a jilted and potentially dangerous ex-lover, it is nice to know Nikko are back in town again" - Chris Cobcroft, 4ZZZ, The New Release Show
Available in hardcopy and digital-versions @ http://nikko.bandcamp.com/
Videos
Nikko on the cliffs from Art Of Noises on Vimeo.
The Hitchhiker - Live @ The Powerhouse from Nikko Music on Vimeo.
The Warm Side - Live @ The Powerhouse from Nikko Music on Vimeo.
Profile art work by Danny McGirr
