In the Studio with King Niko

  

By Rachael Alvine

It’s Saturday morning and the members of King Niko arrive at the studio calm, cool, confidant.  Local fan favorites and Winners of the 2011 City Weekly Music Awards, the band is currently in production at Rockfish Studios on their new single, “Intentions.”

Despite their recent local fame and recognition, these guys are down to earth, real musicians.  Constantly creating new sounds in the studio, every member of the band takes a vested interest in each part of the song’s production.  The band has been known to get down around town, but in the studio, they are the perfect mix of seriously creative and truly easy-going.

“Intentions” is a song inspired by transitory times, not knowing what will happen next, but still knowing that the best is yet to come.  Ransom Wydner, lead vocalist for King Niko, explains that the song was inspired by days spent in a hotel, in between homes, feeling the chaos and rush of change.  

When asked about their recording experience at Rockfish, the band agrees that engineer and music producer, Mateo Coletti, “knows his (stuff)” and has helped to craft a solid musical foundation for “Intentions” through collaboration with each individual member of the band. Ransom on Rockfish relates, “We love those guys.  They’re our kind of people….professional and easy to work with creatively.”

King Niko’s bass player, Tim Rawcliffe, describes the tracking room at Rockfish Studios as a “fortress of solitude” that allows for intimate, creative expression during takes. Wydner is a long-time vocal performer, and it shows in the studio.  His vocal takes are impressively strong, melodic and always “in the pocket.”

The band is discussing original artwork and possibly a new music video in connection with the release of the “Intentions” single, which is due out by the end of the month.

King Niko’s next gig is a CD release event for Long Distance Operator (LDO), whose new album is getting a lot of attention from Utah’s music community.  Wydner, a friend and fan of LDO, describes them as "Queen meets Queens of the Stone Age” and only has good things to say about the recordings on their new album.  Ransom performs vocals on one of the tracks.

King Niko and LDO will be joined by The Bloop, a modern Zappa-esque band, that includes former band mates of Wydner, on Saturday, May 7^th at The Canyon Inn for the much-anticipated live music event. 

“Intentions”, the new single from Utah fan favorites, King Niko, out this month.

WATCH THE BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO HERE