Do you love the lyrics of the late, great Nico, but wish you could hear them as read in a slow, staccato way by art-legend Patti Smith? Then have we got the thing for you: Patti Smith reading words written by Nico over moody, slow-churning (but beautiful) music.
It’s from the new album Killer Road by Soundwalk Collective, which, as Pitchfork notes, is made up of Stephan Crasneanscki, Simone Merli, and Kamran Sadeghi. Patti Smith and her daughter, Jessi Paris Smith, both make appearances on this album, which was conceived as a tribute to Nico, and serves as a narrative for her 1988 death. The album also has sounds from Nico’s harmonium, which Smith reportedly bought for Nico in the ’70s, from a pawn shop in Paris while Nico was living somewhat destitute. Smith and Nico were, of course, friends from their time in New York, where they were both highly involved in the world that, for a time, seemed to revolve around Andy Warhol.
Smith actually performed a version of this track two years ago, at the French Institute Alliance Francaise, according to Rolling Stone. (Soundwalk were there, too, so this is probably pretty close to what that original version was.)
The full Killer Road album is out September 2, via Sacred Bones, but you can listen to the title track below.