The German singer Nico got her start as a model and actress before turning to music, singing with the Velvet Underground for an album before embarking on a solo career.
Playlist 1
The first playlist covers Nico’s most significant output as a solo artist, once she truly came into her own. It shows a harrowing, dark vision, filled with stark, haunting songs. She sang and recited her lyrics in a icy, hollow voice, to the sparse, discordant accompaniment of her harmonium and John Cale’s strings. The overall effect feels more like some sort of ghostly, avant-garde contemporary classical music than anything in rock and roll. It’s eerie stuff, not for all tastes or for all moods—but it captivates entirely, in its own way.
Playlist 2
The second playlist takes a short step back in time to highlight the best of her work with the Velvet Underground and on her first solo album, which has more of a folk-rock feel. Less essential, but clearly more accessible.
Cover Art:
- The Marble Index: Source Discogs.com
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