SONG PREMIERE: Nicky Egan Steps Out with Retro Soul Cool on “Bringing Me Down”

Photo credit: Luke Perine

Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Nicky Egan continues to make a steady mark in the music scene, carving out a unique journey and solidifying herself as a multi-talented creative and multi-instrumentalist. She’s performed all over the country fronting her own musical projects along with as a hired-gun for Chicano Batman, Tune-Yards, Carla Morrison, and Turkuaz to name a few.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production, Egan spent seven years in Brooklyn, her early years spent touring as part of powerhouse funk ensemble, Turkuaz, doing DIY tours consisting of the picturesque young millennial rock-and-roll lifestyle of squeezing into old vans, sleeping on floors and returning to the city only to make some extra cash nannying and waiting tables. After parting ways with Turkuaz to focus on her solo career, Egan independently released three of what she dubbed ‘digital 45’s’, premiering an A/B side each month, with a video attached to each A side, accompanied by a release show and live screening. These ‘digital 45’s’ became a 7-song EP, The 45 Homestead Project, which was released via Ropeadope Records, garnering much praise from tastemakers like American Songwriter, Okayplayer and Performer Magazine.

Around 2015, Egan began fronting a new project, writing and recording music with a cast of fantastic New York players, securing residencies around the city, and performing to enthusiastic crowds.

In between tour stretches, Nicky Egan has been stealthily plugging away with New York-based producer and Dap-Kings guitarist, Joe Crispiano. Beginning with demos written and recorded in Joe’s Staten Island apartment while his neighbor banged on the ceiling came to fruition as a full length album, This Life, recorded in part with their friends at the inimitable Diamond Mine Studios, and in part in Dumbo, NY in an unnamed dungeon where the two spent one too many hours drinking double espressos, margaritas and building vocal booth forts. The entire album was recorded to 8 track tape machine. Driven by honest confessional songwriting and influenced by your favorite classic soul sounds, the record features a who’s who of NY’s most sought after players including Homer Steinweiss, Victor Axelrod, Brian Wolfe & Elizabeth Pupo-Walker, to name a few and will be released jointly via Transistor Sound/Colemine Records. Nicky Egan currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is preparing for the release of her forthcoming 10 song LP, This Life.

Today Glide is offering an exclusive premiere of “Bringing Me Down,” a standout track on the new album. Backed by a cool beat, Egan leans into a retro soul sound that combines that signature Daptone vibe with 60s girl group influence. The organ adds an extra dose of power to the mix, accentuating Egan’s commanding vocals.

Nicky Egan describes the inspiration behind the song:

“‘Bringing Me Down’ is about getting out. The steady, rhythmic march of the drums and bass combined with the brash quality of the combo organ are meant to relay that feeling of breaking free from the toxic cycles we often find ourselves spinning in. It’s a song for when that final straw breaks and you make the move – play it loud and without apology.”

LISTEN:

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