Today, the unstoppable Nia Archives makes her eagerly anticipated return with “Crowded Roomz”. The epitome of a sad banger, “Crowded Roomz” was written after a festival last summer and examines her life on tour, constantly surrounded by people, but not necessarily those she can be herself around. Rich with rippling guitar lines cutting taut through jungle drums, Nia’s personal experience and intimate lyrics speak on themes of loneliness and social anxiety, uniting us all in the universal experience of feeling like an observer in this chaotic world.
To celebrate the release, she shares an incredible video directed by Nicolee Tsin which reflects this sentiment in a timeless and iconic one take, tracking Nia through endless roomz whilst lives unfold around her. From the studio, to her mates house, to the tube, to the rave, the video is a smorgasbord of intrinsically UK cultural touch points and Nia’s friends with cameos from Maverick Sabre, Corbin Shaw, Intranet Girl and others. From vintage rave flyers, Corbin Shaw flags and Vivienne Westwood shopping bags, to the epochal red “Junglist Movement” T-shirt made famous by the cult British film Human Traffic and the “Bad Gyalz” licence plate, this video an exemplar of Nia Archives 360 creative direction and world building.
The first solo release since her A Quintessentially Junglist Summer bangers “Off Wiv Ya Headz” and “Bad Gyalz” last year which was capped off with Nia starring in the JD Sports Christmas advert alongside Central Cee and Kano, gracing the December cover of DJ Mag, a sold out 10,000 ticket “UP YA ARCHIVES” takeover at Warehouse Project and a remix of Fred Again’s “leavemealone”, “Crowded Roomz” marks Nia’s return to more personal lyricism and her ambitious collagist soundscapes tested on most recent EP Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall – sonically and visually setting the tone for this exciting next chapter.
Coming up next, Nia Archives is heading on an 8-date tour to Australia and New Zealand in January and February.
Stay tuned at Futuristic Tracks of the Week selection and Listen to Nia Archives’s new music first
Photo Credit: Lola Banet
