The exuberant and life-affirming energy of the best EDM finds expression in Nik:11’s new single “Pillow Talk”. It’s the latest triumph for the young Detroit native, now a Los Angeles transplant, that solidifies her standing as one of the genre’s budding practitioners. Her fearless willingness to tackle improbable material, in this case revamping Sylvia Robinson’s 1973 R&B cut of the same title, sets her apart from countless faceless peers and contemporaries’ content to produce cookie-cutter dance tracks. Her considerable skills are accompanied by an equally captivating visual sense on full display in the song’s music video.
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Science fiction lovers and those interested in aliens will gravitate to the video. She makes the improbable connection between the song’s subject matter and the aforementioned phenomenon come alive for viewers in a storyline about alien visitation interspersed with shots focused on her delivering the song. It’s a polished and well-produced clip that makes for an excellent companion piece with the single.
Flashing electronica and a throbbing pulse are the song’s chief musical attributes. Little recognizable is left of Robinson’s 1973 original as Nik:11 has thoroughly transformed the half-century-old cut into a ravishing modern EDM classic while retaining its lyrical message. Her vocals share the same spirit as the original, and the gripping juxtaposition of Nik:11’s R&B vocals over the flashing EDM backing makes for a first-class listening experience.
The song’s structure doesn’t vary a great deal. When Nik:11 opts for shifting gears, however, the effect is transformative. The directional shift that hits after the three-and-a-half-minute mark sends “Pillow Talk” soaring even higher than before, and few listeners will fail to react to the uprush of energy that the moment produces. It ushers us into the final quarter of the track in the best possible way.
Grammy-nominated producer Chicco Bennett gives the track a high-gloss shine that underscores its irrepressible heart. The glittering presentation helps underline Nik:11’s avowed themes of liberation, freedom, knowledge, and independence reflected in the song. Her creative partners in making the song’s video, such as cinematographer Sam Tang, AI creative director Farjad Ahmad, and editor Eli Lev, are essential to realizing her visual ambitions and aim to inspire others to pursue the same daring ends.
“Pillow Talk” is already a sensation. It has spawned over six remixes, logged over 700,000 Spotify streams, and looks poised to achieve the same chart success as prior releases. Her sensual presence, commanding artistic ambitions, and relentless work ethic are among the core qualities that separate her from other assorted purveyors of modern EDM. Her clear staying power means we can expect to hear more from her for many years.
Longtime EDM fans and newcomers alike will enjoy this track. It isn’t any stretch to imagine this pumping through club speakers, at a house party, or else rattling the windows as it plays on a car entertainment system. Nik:11 has released a single with enormous potential and a celebration of life that won’t soon dim in the listener’s imagination. It’s a must-hear new number for the new year.
Heather Savage