Soundwalk Collective (the incredible works of Stephan Crasneanscki, Simone Merli, and Kamran Sadeghi) is at it again, having just announced their newest album–Killer Road–is set to release September 2 on Sacred Bones. But there are more surprises to be had, as this isn’t an album of just their own doing. The international trio has partnered up with Patti Smith and her daughter Jesse Paris Smith for the entire album, which has been produced as a tribute to legendary German singer and Velvet Underground member Nico.
For those of you who don’t know, Nico was not only a talented musician (singer-songwriter, lyricist, composer), but a fashion model and actress who was brought into fame during the 1960s alongside Warhol. She had a very troubled life, riddled with heroin addiction and the memories of being raped as a teen. These outstanding issues drove her to some of her greatest work. She passed tragically from brain damage after suffering a heart attack and falling off a bike while on vacation in Ibiza.
The title track is as stunning as it is alluring. Patti Smith enamors the audience while reciting a poem written by Nico over Soundwalk Collective’s characteristic and original sounds. Her vocals are almost ghostly, invoking a feeling that this work is far beyond a simple album–and a long time coming, for sure.
