Nilo Blues

Toronto artist blog.

Nilo Blues is a gifted young artist with a powerful voice and solid discography. Nilo Blues has this look and sound to him that I feel just has this really dope appeal to it that has a lot of potential in going to insane levels and reaching global stardom. The music is what really elevates it for me; he has this amazing angelic voice that isn't too high or too low in tonality. Throughout his discography, he has a great vocal blend. He has this finesse to his voice that hits different for me. His harmonies and flows are smooth and catchy. He has a distinct style and beat selection, and I admire how particular he is. He's found his niche and transformed it into something truly unique. His beat selections are simple and out of the way; they provide the foundation and atmosphere while allowing his vocals to shine. Nilo's vocals serve as the primary instrument; there are sound effects and aspects of the beat that were created with his voice and then edited in a specific way. When you use abstract things like your voice to make a beat and build an atmosphere, stuff like that is really dope. I was struck by the vibes that these instrumentals create from the start. It immediately puts you in the mood for the vocal performance. Nilo has a bright pop/R&B sound to him. The way he uses his vocals and how he delivers them, some tracks are more pop lane, while others, particularly his more recent tracks, are very R&B centred. His discography really highlights his talents in a small number of songs. His discography only dates back to 2020, when he released his first single, "No Risk Involved." This track is very well produced and mixed; it is clear that this is not the first song he ever made, but it is his first legitimate release. The sound and style aren't drastically different from what he'd do later, but it's a more alternative hip-hop/pop sound. While Nilo delivers his melodic vocals, the beat delivers a lot of energy. This is an excellent first track, with a wide range of abilities on display. The title of his next single, "Akari Harakiri," is a fantastic track. It has a very distinct vocal performance. Nilo has a cool melodic flow on the track that is very addictive on both the hook and the verse. The higher-pitched vocals on this stand out from what we've come to expect from him. He does it, however, in a very cinematic manner. It's really interesting hearing the different ways Nilo can approach music. He'd continue 2020 with songs like "She Like It," "Chico," and his debut album, "Nilo Blues." "She Likes It" stays in the more melodic hip-hop vein, while "Chico" ventures into the more vocal pop lane. It's great to see such variety. The self-titled EP includes two new singles, "Swimmin in the Sedatives" and "Nicotiana." These songs keep the pop sound going strong, with memorable hooks and a fun bright summer vibe. 2021 would deliver more pop and R&B mix to his music.  He would begin to significantly broaden his vocal range and abilities. Tracks like "I Can't, I Won't," "Last Second Dirt," and "Poison" are still very fun pop-oriented tracks with an amazing ambience. The music is still so good and memorable that it is practically timeless. High-end production, mixing, and mastering was definitely on his radar from the start. Since his first official release, his music has sounded clean and well cared for. Some artists still struggle with mixing and mastering, and I admire his ability to make his music so good that you don't even think about the technical side. He entered the more vocal R&B realm of his artistry in 2022. His music now has a unique flavour to it, and I believe that this new combination of sounds works well together. It doesn't sound like pure pop or R&B to me, but rather a hybrid of the two. "Black dice interlude" is a very distinct body of work; he takes a very different song approach with his instrumental selection and vocal mixing style. However, everything comes together beautifully on the track. "What It's Like" is a melodic masterpiece, with an infectious vocal tone and delivery. "witchcraft 3" is a great slower more angelic sound from Nilo, with a more romantic and slow dance vibe. His latest single, "Ridin" with Yanzzy, exemplifies the classic established sound he has now mastered. The diversity and quality are something that always gonna amaze me. I really like the lane he's taken. I’m hoping for a full-length album in the next coming month, hopefully, something this year. But, regardless of what he releases next, Nilo has laid a solid foundation for himself with a short yet strong discography filled with gems. There are no odd tracks that I would call easy skips, which I believe distinguishes him from the rest.

Written by Maxim Bayarsky