Stream: Niia, ‘Body’ and ‘Generation Blue’

Andrew Veeder on December 9th, 2014

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Niia, pronounced “Nye-a,” was born Niia Bertino, and grew up as a music nerd, even fronting a jazz trio off-campus from her Catholic school at the age of 13. She sang on Wyclef Jean’s track “Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)” at the age of 19, and has been a jazz chanteuse and pianist since, recording covers of “BTSTU” and “You Only Live Twice,” and recently guesting on Ana-Tole’s “For a Night.” She released her six-track debut EP “Generation Blue” in September on Something Local Records, which was produced by Robin Hannibal of Quadron and Rhye, and it perfectly captures her intimate and soulful vibe in a string of beautiful ballads that pairs her jazz background and the modern R&B aesthetic. Lead-off track “Body” is just that, a sultry and vibrant ditty with gentle percussion, string flourishes and subtle funk guitar, while the title track is achingly minimal and mellow, but brimming with intrigue from her captivating vocals that bring to mind Banks or Jessie Ware. Niia also has a new collaborative EP just released this week titled “Breaking,” a five-track project of edits and reworkings from producer The Range. His remix of “David’s House” transforms the song with a percolating melody, skittering back beat and twinkling crescendo.

||| Stream:Â “Body,” “Generation Blue,” and “David’s House” (Niia x The Range)