Exclusive Premiere: N I K O’s new single warns: never trust your thoughts past 9 pm

N I K O’s new song “Anxiety: A Late Night” follows a typical night for a couple that can’t trust each other. In his verses, he also tackles the concept of men being forced to shove down their emotions, anxiety about relationships, and more. The base of the track is a lo-fi beat that sounds like an old sample of piano keys playing on a loop, and the result is an instant feeling of nostalgia, like looking back on old photos and memories. Then, almost instantly, the quick pulse of a more prominent and heavy beat takes over, a full and round sound that adds a modern edge.

This duality of sounds past and future creates a deeper feeling of thoughtfulness and restlessness that the lyrics reflect, as well as points out the coexistence of sentimental and heavy feelings that are present in relationships. N I K O begins rapping about his partner, his obsessive thoughts consuming his nights of sleep and even his whole life. The layers come together to create a spaced-out, introspective feeling. The layers also suggest a sense of anxiety and feeling trapped in a loop, especially in the latter half of the song when the beats are slowed down. By the end of the track, the vocals take on a multi-layered and robotic tone like the anxiety is finally consuming him entirely.

N I K O said about the song:

“This song is about the late-night thoughts that you get when you are going through a bad ending or a toxic relationship. The racing of the mind, the assumptions, the lies, the self talks, and the agonizing pain that one feels when they are alone with their thoughts. A Late Night dives into a first person experience of the what it truly is to have anxiety in a relationship.”

– N I K O

This is N I K O’s latest single, but he’s been on the scene as a Soundcloud rapper for about two years. Listen to the track for yourself below.