First Listen: Nia Archives "Headz Gone West"

In this First Listen we spoke to the multi-faceted Nia Archives about her latest single "Headz Gone West".

Pulled from her debut EP of the same title - "Headz Gone West" is testament to Nia's ability to deliver vibey lo-fi jungle instalments. Her creativity shining through. Pulling early influence from her Jamaican heritage and steadily building up her musical appetite through the raving scene, the now 20yo impressively has an array of first hand experience and experimentation that has seen her become a singer-songwriter, producer and DJ.

Serving as the follow up to her elevating debut single "Sober Feelz" which hypnotic and instantly infectious feel catapulted her into great critical acclaim.

Photocredit: Louis Tukali-Mason / @louistm_

First Listen

As the days get warmer and summer approaches, the first listen of "Headz Gone West" was an amazingly bliss one. From the onset, you're able to hear the build of the vibrant jungle tones. One that invokes a rapid head bop and inspires you to get up. In spite of that, Nia's incorporated a lo-fi into the single and with her music that makes for a silky smooth listen.

Artist Perception

NIA A: "I made HGW early morning last August, I was deep in my insomnia and would often stay up making beats all night. I remember making the beat, smoking a Ziggy and listening back to it on loop whilst watching the sun come up as London was waking up. The instrumental gave me a sense of bliss accompanied by blues. I was so sleep-deprived and delirious at the time that the lyrics just jumped at me. The tune is about ones head literally going west and the moment of acceptance when losing touch with reality".

Archives mentions the instrumental giving her a sense of bliss, a feat that shines through on this single. As genres like 'bedroom pop' arise and homegrown talent is thriving, the organic nature in which this single came about is a refreshing one.

First Watch

A trippy visual directed by Delphino Productions, a great fit for the single. The almost VHS like shots have a humble but increasingly creative feel - bringing 'HGW' to life, literally.

Check out Nia Archives' debut 5-track EP here.