NV : SINGLES REVIEWED
NO STRANGER
March 2007
It’s just over a year since local
artist NV first came to everyone’s attention with debut single Open Your
Eyes. That particular song – an instant favourite on the local airwaves
- pretty much spelt out where NV was headed musically, its pop/rock
crossover providing the perfect vehicle for her measured yet melodic
vocal style. Subsequent single releases If I Could, No Regrets and the
more recent Find Your Way all found similar favour with public and radio
stations alike, and, along with several public appearances, helped to
strengthen NV’s popularity even further. With her brand new single No
Stranger, NV reveals an entirely new approach to the style we had become
accustomed to so far.
The new song is far more pop-orientated than anything she’s recorded to
date, and while her vocal timbre remains very familiar, the added
harmonies coupled with its lightweight but nimble arrangement give it an
essential dance track feel. This dance inclination will also be a strong
and crucial element on the forthcoming remix of (earlier single) If I
Could, which is being produced by prominent local DJ Duncan F and will
be released shortly. Meanwhile make a note of NV’s upcoming live
performances, starting with an Unplugged set at St. James Cavalier on
March 31, Live at Luxol on April 14 and The Alley on May 16.
IF I COULD
August 2006
With just two single releases under her belt, NV (Nikki
Vukovic) is still a relative newcomer to the local music scene. It
becomes all the more significant, then, that her two singles were both
widely acclaimed and featured prominently on the Maltese airwaves.
Rooted in rock but with generous helpings of pop sensibility, both her
debut, Open Your Eyes, and the more recent If I Could, bear common
features. This may be largely due to the fact that they were penned by
none other than guitarist extraordinaire (and husband, to make it all
the more convenient), Sean Vukovic, primarily of doom-metallers
Forsaken, but who also served time with Filletti & Friends, Norm
Rejection and The William Mangion Band, to name but a few!
The new single, If I Could, is in fact a rockier number than Open Your
Eyes; a statement of sorts by NV perhaps, that she isn't after a one-off
recording for the sake of it, but that, in her case, making music is a
long-term aspiration. Certainly more optimistic and assured than Open
Your Eyes - which was more Dido-meets-Natalie Imbruglia - the brasher
guitar sound on If I Could will certainly suggest a hint of Cranberries
to the list of comparisons. Backed by seasoned musicians such as Rex
(bass), Kevin Vella and Sean Vukovic (guitars) and David Wain on drums,
NV's live performances are surely not to be missed!
OPEN YOUR EYES
April 2006
A new name on the local scene but
backed by some of the top names on the island, NV (singer Nikki Vukovic)
has just released her debut single, Open Your Eyes. Written by
guitarist/songwriter Sean Vukovic, the song was recorded and produced by
Howard Keith at Farmhouse Studios after pre-production by Boris Cezek,
and features Marvic Lewis on backing vocals.
Increasingly catchy with every listen, Open Your Eyes brings out a
lasting melodic quality that bears strong hints of melancholy (both
musically and lyrically) in between its gorgeous subtle pop hooks.
Underneath the song's gentle flow there are measured arrangements -
particularly on guitar - that give it a certain consistency with
accessibility that will surely find favour with those who like their
music warm, positively embracing and brimming with character.
Recommended weblink: www.nvmalta.com
