Drama of Exile
Nico
Drama of Exile
Boomkat Product Review:
Nico's fifth album might be her most mysterious and misunderstood - 'Drama of Exile' is a jagged, post-punk inspired slow burner that prominently features Middle Eastern instrumentation and covers of David Bowie and The Velvet Underground. This reissue is bundled with an entire additional side of alternate mixes!
When Nico recorded her penultimate full-length in the Spring of 1981, she was addicted to heroin and living in London with bassist Philippe Quilichini, who produced the album, and his partner Nadette Duget, who acted as exec producer. What happened next is still contested, and since all three passed away shortly afterwards, it's likely that the truth will never emerge. Duget was accused by Aaron Sixx, who was in charge of the Aura label, of attempting to steal the master tapes and sell them on her own. He took the unfinished mixes from the studio and put them out the same year, prompting a long legal dispute, and Quilichini's response was to re-record the album, issuing it in 1983 on Invisible Records with a slightly modified title ('The Drama of Exile') and a modified tracklist. This reissue is the original Aura release, padded out with a full set of alternate mixes, and despite the drama surrounding its recording, it sounds powerful and resonant.
'Drama of Exile' was lauded at the time for being Nico's return to rock music, since her previous album - 1974's John Cale-produced commercial flop 'The End...' - had experimented with synths and unusual instrumentation. Contrastingly, 'Drama of Exile' ditches the harmonium and absorbs the jerky sound of Public Image Ltd and Talking Heads, giving post-punk a gothy hue and adding a Middle Eastern twang courtesy of Rahmann's Muhammad Hadi. 'The Sphinx' is the best example of this, with tight, swinging drums and buzzing bouzouki sounds providing the perfect backdrop for Nico's booming vocals. With the two covers, she engages in a little wish fulfillment, turning Bowie's iconic 'Heroes' into a knobbly disco-funk roller and singing The Velvets' 'I'm Waiting for the Man', a song Lou Reed never let her perform when she was in the band. Elsewhere, there's the sloppy angularity of 'One More Chance' and the groggy, narcotic funk of opening dirge 'Genghis Khan' - plenty to sink yr teeth into, basically, and the alternate mixes add even more grit, and just a little more mystery.
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Boomkat Product Review:
Nico's fifth album might be her most mysterious and misunderstood - 'Drama of Exile' is a jagged, post-punk inspired slow burner that prominently features Middle Eastern instrumentation and covers of David Bowie and The Velvet Underground. This reissue is bundled with an entire additional side of alternate mixes!
When Nico recorded her penultimate full-length in the Spring of 1981, she was addicted to heroin and living in London with bassist Philippe Quilichini, who produced the album, and his partner Nadette Duget, who acted as exec producer. What happened next is still contested, and since all three passed away shortly afterwards, it's likely that the truth will never emerge. Duget was accused by Aaron Sixx, who was in charge of the Aura label, of attempting to steal the master tapes and sell them on her own. He took the unfinished mixes from the studio and put them out the same year, prompting a long legal dispute, and Quilichini's response was to re-record the album, issuing it in 1983 on Invisible Records with a slightly modified title ('The Drama of Exile') and a modified tracklist. This reissue is the original Aura release, padded out with a full set of alternate mixes, and despite the drama surrounding its recording, it sounds powerful and resonant.
'Drama of Exile' was lauded at the time for being Nico's return to rock music, since her previous album - 1974's John Cale-produced commercial flop 'The End...' - had experimented with synths and unusual instrumentation. Contrastingly, 'Drama of Exile' ditches the harmonium and absorbs the jerky sound of Public Image Ltd and Talking Heads, giving post-punk a gothy hue and adding a Middle Eastern twang courtesy of Rahmann's Muhammad Hadi. 'The Sphinx' is the best example of this, with tight, swinging drums and buzzing bouzouki sounds providing the perfect backdrop for Nico's booming vocals. With the two covers, she engages in a little wish fulfillment, turning Bowie's iconic 'Heroes' into a knobbly disco-funk roller and singing The Velvets' 'I'm Waiting for the Man', a song Lou Reed never let her perform when she was in the band. Elsewhere, there's the sloppy angularity of 'One More Chance' and the groggy, narcotic funk of opening dirge 'Genghis Khan' - plenty to sink yr teeth into, basically, and the alternate mixes add even more grit, and just a little more mystery.
Boomkat Product Review:
Nico's fifth album might be her most mysterious and misunderstood - 'Drama of Exile' is a jagged, post-punk inspired slow burner that prominently features Middle Eastern instrumentation and covers of David Bowie and The Velvet Underground. This reissue is bundled with an entire additional side of alternate mixes!
When Nico recorded her penultimate full-length in the Spring of 1981, she was addicted to heroin and living in London with bassist Philippe Quilichini, who produced the album, and his partner Nadette Duget, who acted as exec producer. What happened next is still contested, and since all three passed away shortly afterwards, it's likely that the truth will never emerge. Duget was accused by Aaron Sixx, who was in charge of the Aura label, of attempting to steal the master tapes and sell them on her own. He took the unfinished mixes from the studio and put them out the same year, prompting a long legal dispute, and Quilichini's response was to re-record the album, issuing it in 1983 on Invisible Records with a slightly modified title ('The Drama of Exile') and a modified tracklist. This reissue is the original Aura release, padded out with a full set of alternate mixes, and despite the drama surrounding its recording, it sounds powerful and resonant.
'Drama of Exile' was lauded at the time for being Nico's return to rock music, since her previous album - 1974's John Cale-produced commercial flop 'The End...' - had experimented with synths and unusual instrumentation. Contrastingly, 'Drama of Exile' ditches the harmonium and absorbs the jerky sound of Public Image Ltd and Talking Heads, giving post-punk a gothy hue and adding a Middle Eastern twang courtesy of Rahmann's Muhammad Hadi. 'The Sphinx' is the best example of this, with tight, swinging drums and buzzing bouzouki sounds providing the perfect backdrop for Nico's booming vocals. With the two covers, she engages in a little wish fulfillment, turning Bowie's iconic 'Heroes' into a knobbly disco-funk roller and singing The Velvets' 'I'm Waiting for the Man', a song Lou Reed never let her perform when she was in the band. Elsewhere, there's the sloppy angularity of 'One More Chance' and the groggy, narcotic funk of opening dirge 'Genghis Khan' - plenty to sink yr teeth into, basically, and the alternate mixes add even more grit, and just a little more mystery.
Boomkat Product Review:
Nico's fifth album might be her most mysterious and misunderstood - 'Drama of Exile' is a jagged, post-punk inspired slow burner that prominently features Middle Eastern instrumentation and covers of David Bowie and The Velvet Underground. This reissue is bundled with an entire additional side of alternate mixes!
When Nico recorded her penultimate full-length in the Spring of 1981, she was addicted to heroin and living in London with bassist Philippe Quilichini, who produced the album, and his partner Nadette Duget, who acted as exec producer. What happened next is still contested, and since all three passed away shortly afterwards, it's likely that the truth will never emerge. Duget was accused by Aaron Sixx, who was in charge of the Aura label, of attempting to steal the master tapes and sell them on her own. He took the unfinished mixes from the studio and put them out the same year, prompting a long legal dispute, and Quilichini's response was to re-record the album, issuing it in 1983 on Invisible Records with a slightly modified title ('The Drama of Exile') and a modified tracklist. This reissue is the original Aura release, padded out with a full set of alternate mixes, and despite the drama surrounding its recording, it sounds powerful and resonant.
'Drama of Exile' was lauded at the time for being Nico's return to rock music, since her previous album - 1974's John Cale-produced commercial flop 'The End...' - had experimented with synths and unusual instrumentation. Contrastingly, 'Drama of Exile' ditches the harmonium and absorbs the jerky sound of Public Image Ltd and Talking Heads, giving post-punk a gothy hue and adding a Middle Eastern twang courtesy of Rahmann's Muhammad Hadi. 'The Sphinx' is the best example of this, with tight, swinging drums and buzzing bouzouki sounds providing the perfect backdrop for Nico's booming vocals. With the two covers, she engages in a little wish fulfillment, turning Bowie's iconic 'Heroes' into a knobbly disco-funk roller and singing The Velvets' 'I'm Waiting for the Man', a song Lou Reed never let her perform when she was in the band. Elsewhere, there's the sloppy angularity of 'One More Chance' and the groggy, narcotic funk of opening dirge 'Genghis Khan' - plenty to sink yr teeth into, basically, and the alternate mixes add even more grit, and just a little more mystery.
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Boomkat Product Review:
Nico's fifth album might be her most mysterious and misunderstood - 'Drama of Exile' is a jagged, post-punk inspired slow burner that prominently features Middle Eastern instrumentation and covers of David Bowie and The Velvet Underground. This reissue is bundled with an entire additional side of alternate mixes!
When Nico recorded her penultimate full-length in the Spring of 1981, she was addicted to heroin and living in London with bassist Philippe Quilichini, who produced the album, and his partner Nadette Duget, who acted as exec producer. What happened next is still contested, and since all three passed away shortly afterwards, it's likely that the truth will never emerge. Duget was accused by Aaron Sixx, who was in charge of the Aura label, of attempting to steal the master tapes and sell them on her own. He took the unfinished mixes from the studio and put them out the same year, prompting a long legal dispute, and Quilichini's response was to re-record the album, issuing it in 1983 on Invisible Records with a slightly modified title ('The Drama of Exile') and a modified tracklist. This reissue is the original Aura release, padded out with a full set of alternate mixes, and despite the drama surrounding its recording, it sounds powerful and resonant.
'Drama of Exile' was lauded at the time for being Nico's return to rock music, since her previous album - 1974's John Cale-produced commercial flop 'The End...' - had experimented with synths and unusual instrumentation. Contrastingly, 'Drama of Exile' ditches the harmonium and absorbs the jerky sound of Public Image Ltd and Talking Heads, giving post-punk a gothy hue and adding a Middle Eastern twang courtesy of Rahmann's Muhammad Hadi. 'The Sphinx' is the best example of this, with tight, swinging drums and buzzing bouzouki sounds providing the perfect backdrop for Nico's booming vocals. With the two covers, she engages in a little wish fulfillment, turning Bowie's iconic 'Heroes' into a knobbly disco-funk roller and singing The Velvets' 'I'm Waiting for the Man', a song Lou Reed never let her perform when she was in the band. Elsewhere, there's the sloppy angularity of 'One More Chance' and the groggy, narcotic funk of opening dirge 'Genghis Khan' - plenty to sink yr teeth into, basically, and the alternate mixes add even more grit, and just a little more mystery.
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