Life on Earth

Niko | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Grand Central
• ASIN: B00022VMSU
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #702,110 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Grand Central is excited to announce the forthcoming release of Niko’s debut album Life on Earth. Based in Brooklyn, but hailing from Seattle where she was born to Japanese and Spanish parentage, her work with her own band and collaborations with established jazz bands, funk bands and hip hop DJ’s from the city’s scene earned her a ‘One To Watch’ accolade in Vibe Magazine in 2002.

In the last two years, she’s fronted the Aim live band on three tours and dropping two singles of her own plus collaborating with Mr. Scruff for his album Trouser Jazz and with Only Child, on two tracks from last year’s Solitaire.

Life on Earth is Niko’s musical anthology and flirts with 80’s Electro, soulful Hip Hop and Beats, classic Jazz and Pop. Collaborating with her dream list of producers, and playing many instruments including the piano and mini-moog herself, Niko’s debut displays a unique depth of musicality. As fans of Aim eagerly await a third album they’ll be pleased to hear they will find a healthy dose of Aim’s beats on tracks: 4, 5, 6, 10 & 11. The album also features production by Mr. Scruff and Mark Rae, consequently Life on Earth is a classy, mature debut, independent of fashion.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Niko Turns in Solid Debut Effort - 3.5 Stars, August 31, 2006

By 

Justin Lovenstein (Denver, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life on Earth (Audio CD)

For those of you out there familiar with Grand Central's label bosses Rae & Christian it probably won't surprise you that most of the talent they sign to their own label is top-notch. Rae & Christian released one of the greatest underground albums (hip hop, R&B, or otherwise) with Northern Sulphric Soul.
Here, with their newest label signing Niko they have found some great fresh new talent that can without a doubt hold her own. The album starts things off well with the blistering ghetto funk of "You're My Favorite Music".
The next track, "Shifting" is a great electro roller that plugs along with a subtle Jazzanova-style.
"Swamp" sees Niko doing her best jazz diva impression with production by Mark Rae. This is a good track, but somehow falls just short of excellence; In part because of a slightly repetitive chorus.
"Don't Waste Your Time" shines with some great production, but Niko's Nelly Furtado-style vocal delivery took me a couple listens to appriciate.
"Roam" sets the stage on fire with Niko's sweet'n'spicy approach and excellent production work by Lance Thomas and Grand Central's very own Aim.
"All I Do" is probably the albums weakest track despite Aim producing. The song is saved from coming up totally weak by the great instrumentation.
One of the albums finest standout's follows - "An Echo of Quiet and Green" ; Mr. Scruff comes out of nowhere to produce a bouncing jazz-trumpet feast.
"Let Me Go", "The Hourly Second", and the album's title track just seem bland with too much emphasis on modern radio's style of pop sensabilities.
"Siren" and "Love You To Pieces" end the album very strong though, and put the cap on an overall solid first effort. Fans of Aim, Mr. Scruff, Rae & Christian may want to give this a listen before jumping in, but most will enjoy the vast melange of styles and approaches this album offers. 3.5 Stars - Good work!