Nikolitsa and The Comrades
| Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
Music
Press
Niklolitsa Boutieros doesn’t so much sing words as wield them, and Under The Moon doesn’t so much create a mood as tear one apart. No matter how bleak the song, Boutieros invariably performs from a position of pure power. None of the despair or destruction is detached—it’s all hers. Her heavy and dark voice curls out and under itself, readily jumping up into the frenzy of the music.
The lower reaches of her vocal range are the most potent, evident especially in “Hold Me In Love” and “Look Pretty.” Both tracks center upon a repeated command, simple yet arresting, complemented by the raw instrumentation. It is not a question of musical acrobatics, but of incredible tone, comprehensive shadowiness sustained without fail.
This constant confrontation makes it, at times, difficult to take in. It’s hard to truly differentiate between tracks in the middle (“Good Girl,” “Right Tonight,” and “So What”), not because they don’t have definitive starting and stopping points, but because the entire progression of the album seems to be back and forth rather than forward. The energy isn’t dropped for a minute, its weight is nearly tangible.
The most impressive track is, however, more restrained. “Moon In Her Eyes” closes the album with a slow simmer, a welcome break from the flash fires before. The more relaxed delivery makes Boutieros’ molded voice even more captivating as she tackles intense dynamic changes and even howls like a wolf (an element that any self-respecting moon song should include). After the unrelentingly ferocious release of the songs before it, “Moon In Her Eyes” is the only one that sounds like an opportunity to build something up again.
Under The Moon is a pointedly galling album, expressing fury without any sense of unease. That unabashedly open aggression is its greatest strength. It is indeed abrasive, but skillfully and not needlessly so.
In A Word: Jarring
—by Yve Lepkowski, February 18, 2013 - The aquarian
Nikolitsa & The Comrades deliver on a promise of high voltage alternative, grunge, post-punk, and industrial rock. If the description, a blending sub-genres, doesn’t catch on at this point, we can only suggest taking time to listen for yourself.
The group’s leader, Nikolitsa Boutieros, is a multi-media artist from New York City. She’s an acclaimed photographer (who’s work has appeared in Spin , TimeOut and various galleries). Nikolitsa has risen above her early life challenges to divert raw experiences towards the passion in her music, and the mysticism of her application to the arts. She has blossomed into one of New York’s major rising talents!
Her music reflects her artistry in offering up an opportunity to indulge one’s senses giving rise to the feeling of being caught in a pleasure ridden undertow. The music can be harsh, but smooth at the same time, and fortunately, unlike some other bands cutting across the genres – the lyrics are not lost.
“Under The Moon” the album by Nikolitsa Boutieros was released Oct 9, 2012 on the CD Baby label. On the album, Nikolitsa is joined by Brett Hestla. The album was recorded at Brett Hestla Productions. It took over three years to craft her recording, “Under the Moon.” Creating the record was both a welcomed personal struggle to continue growing as an artist, and a joy to see through to it’s completion.
During the the time that the album was being produced, Nikolitsa found like-minded spirits with etymological hearts and they began playing live shows around New York calling themselves the Comrades. The Comrades are: 17 year-old guitarist Tori Knops who weaves the beautiful melodic stories together, rock-wizardbassist David Schwab who creates a soulful driving groove and Tony Nugent on drums who keeps the trio positioned on the track.
In Nikolitsa’s own words, “”My main focus is to capture the truest essence of my material with
honesty, integrity and heart.” We spent most of our time submerging ourselves in Nikolista & The Commrades on YouTube and we recommend “In My Head”. - Horizonvu Music
Nikolitsa & The Comrades deliver on a promise of high voltage alternative, grunge, post-punk, and industrial rock. If the description, a blending sub-genres, doesn’t catch on at this point, we can only suggest taking time to listen for yourself.
The group’s leader, Nikolitsa Boutieros, is a multi-media artist from New York City. She’s an acclaimed photographer (who’s work has appeared in Spin , TimeOut and various galleries). Nikolitsa has risen above her early life challenges to divert raw experiences towards the passion in her music, and the mysticism of her application to the arts. She has blossomed into one of New York’s major rising talents!
Her music reflects her artistry in offering up an opportunity to indulge one’s senses giving rise to the feeling of being caught in a pleasure ridden undertow. The music can be harsh, but smooth at the same time, and fortunately, unlike some other bands cutting across the genres – the lyrics are not lost.
“Under The Moon” the album by Nikolitsa Boutieros was released Oct 9, 2012 on the CD Baby label. On the album, Nikolitsa is joined by Brett Hestla. The album was recorded at Brett Hestla Productions. It took over three years to craft her recording, “Under the Moon.” Creating the record was both a welcomed personal struggle to continue growing as an artist, and a joy to see through to it’s completion.
During the the time that the album was being produced, Nikolitsa found like-minded spirits with etymological hearts and they began playing live shows around New York calling themselves the Comrades. The Comrades are: 17 year-old guitarist Tori Knops who weaves the beautiful melodic stories together, rock-wizardbassist David Schwab who creates a soulful driving groove and Tony Nugent on drums who keeps the trio positioned on the track.
In Nikolitsa’s own words, “”My main focus is to capture the truest essence of my material with
honesty, integrity and heart.” We spent most of our time submerging ourselves in Nikolista & The Commrades on YouTube and we recommend “In My Head”. - Horizonvu Music
by Daniel Abioye
NIKOLITSA ::: REVIEW
Nikolitsa ::: Under the moon
Daniel Abioye 12.11.12
Nikolitsa Boutieros is the founder, songwriter and lead singer of a New York band called: ‘Nikolitsa and the Comrades’. An accomplished photographer and multi-media artist, Nikolitsa has managed to bring her edge in photography and the arts into her music.
If you are a photographer or a multi-media artist or a musician or even a songwriter, then you will appreciate the level of creativity at work in this album ‘Under The Moon’. Being all these at the same time mean Nikolitsa must have to constantly battle with tones of ideas in her mind before coming to a decision, which will explain why it took her over three years to put this musical project together.
One could imagine how often she must have excused herself to be all alone just so she could talk to herself. And that is what you experience from this album as you listen from one track to another; it draws you instantly into Nikolitsa’s world and puts you on a journey. You could almost feel a gentle passion from the depth of her soul powerfully triggered through her voice and masterfully blended by the metal band whom she creatively christened ‘The Comrades’. It’s like being drunk and sober at the same time.
Another thing that strikes you in this album is the consistency of her voice with the style of music: alternative pop rock plus grunge rock! It is like saying: ‘Yeah, this is what I am and I am not sorry at all’. Singing with such luscious sexy voice without missing a note is tough enough for any girl, but Nikolitsa did not only do that effortlessly, she dared go into those phrases that make you hold on tightly to whatever you’re sitting on or stop whatever you’re doing to listen to her with rapt attention and then suddenly catapults her range from belly to head. It’s crazy cool…it’s crazy good!
You cannot escape the feeling of raw energy mixed with deep emotions transpiring between her mouth and the microphone, which may shock you to find that all these inspirations and talents and energy are being emitted by such an unassuming young lady. If pop rock/grunge music has a voice, then I suppose it should be branded: Nikolitsa. - MRU Magazine
by Daniel Abioye
NIKOLITSA ::: REVIEW
Nikolitsa ::: Under the moon
Daniel Abioye 12.11.12
Nikolitsa Boutieros is the founder, songwriter and lead singer of a New York band called: ‘Nikolitsa and the Comrades’. An accomplished photographer and multi-media artist, Nikolitsa has managed to bring her edge in photography and the arts into her music.
If you are a photographer or a multi-media artist or a musician or even a songwriter, then you will appreciate the level of creativity at work in this album ‘Under The Moon’. Being all these at the same time mean Nikolitsa must have to constantly battle with tones of ideas in her mind before coming to a decision, which will explain why it took her over three years to put this musical project together.
One could imagine how often she must have excused herself to be all alone just so she could talk to herself. And that is what you experience from this album as you listen from one track to another; it draws you instantly into Nikolitsa’s world and puts you on a journey. You could almost feel a gentle passion from the depth of her soul powerfully triggered through her voice and masterfully blended by the metal band whom she creatively christened ‘The Comrades’. It’s like being drunk and sober at the same time.
Another thing that strikes you in this album is the consistency of her voice with the style of music: alternative pop rock plus grunge rock! It is like saying: ‘Yeah, this is what I am and I am not sorry at all’. Singing with such luscious sexy voice without missing a note is tough enough for any girl, but Nikolitsa did not only do that effortlessly, she dared go into those phrases that make you hold on tightly to whatever you’re sitting on or stop whatever you’re doing to listen to her with rapt attention and then suddenly catapults her range from belly to head. It’s crazy cool…it’s crazy good!
You cannot escape the feeling of raw energy mixed with deep emotions transpiring between her mouth and the microphone, which may shock you to find that all these inspirations and talents and energy are being emitted by such an unassuming young lady. If pop rock/grunge music has a voice, then I suppose it should be branded: Nikolitsa. - MRU Magazine
Discography
Under The Moon - 2012
Photos
Bio
In short:
Nikolitsa Boutieros is a multi-media artist. Founder, songwriter and lead Singer of "Nikolista and the Comrades." Also Owner/Photographer of "Divine Light Photography." Nikolitsa has risen above her early life challenges and used those raw experiences in the passion of her music, and the mysticism of her photography.
She has blossomed into one of New York's major rising talents!
---------------------------------------------------------
Nikolitsa and the Comrades is fronted by Nikolitsa Boutieros, a multi-media
artist from New York City. An already acclaimed photographer (who's work
has appeared in Spin.com and elsewhere), Nikolitsa has photographed
industry icons like Nick Cave, Patti Smith and many others. You see a vivid,
dramatic dance in her photography. Not merely photographs, but compositions
unlike any other. It is this same captivating vision that she injects into
her music with Nikolista and the Comrades.
Nikolitsa has risen above her early life challenges to divert those raw
experiences towards the passion in her music, and the mysticism of her
application to the arts. She has blossomed into one of New York's major
rising talents!
By blending elements of punk, alternative and grunge into her music, she
creates a wave of sound that is big, raw, heavy and melodic while remaining
identifiably hers alone. With grit, savvy and intent, she exudes a peaceful
but energetic aura with her timeless voice that is only embellished by her
amusingly honest lyrics.
One starry skied New York City evening, Nikolitsa found herself wandering
through record stores in New York searching through new and old cd's. She
happened upon an interesting and mysterious album that she ended up bringing
back home with her. That album was called, "Signs of a Vacant Soul" by
Virgos Merlot. Little did she know it at that time, but that record would
have a lasting impact on her as an artist and would help with the direction
of her music in the future.
That record is still with Nikolitsa to this day, both physically and
spiritually. Some nine years later, after first hearing that album and
then tucking it away, she decided to go back and listen to it again. It
was then that she realized the person who had produced that record (Brett
Hestla), would be the one who could understand her art form and the path in
which she was travelling. He would eventually guide her through the
recording process and inspire her to travel that path towards the next
level.
It took over three years to craft her first recording, "Under the Moon."
Creating the record was both a welcomed personal struggle to continue
growing as an artist, and a joy to see through to it's completion.
During the production of the record, Nikolitsa found like-minded spirits
with etymological hearts and they began playing around New York calling
themselves the Comrades. The Comrades are: 17 year-old guitarist Tori
Knops who weaves the beautiful melodic stories together, rock-wizard
bassist David Schwab who creates a soulful driving groove and Tony
Nugent on drums who keeps the trio positioned on the track.
"My main focus is to capture the truest essence of my material with
honesty, integrity and heart," says Nikolitsa. This essential mode is
totally evident during their live shows and is found in it's entirety in
"Under The Moon," their debut recording.
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