ER #8 ::: NGHTCRWLR

Kris Esfandiari is a woman of many voices. For over a decade, she has produced work under a variety of monikers spanning a gauntlet of genres; NGHTCRWLR, a blend of drone music and industrial noise through a gothic lens, the chill vibes of Miserable (once described by Esfandiari as “music to drink nyquil to” and her rap album as Dalmatian to name just a few.

Her most recent appellation is Sugar High, a collaborative project with Berlin-based vocalist and producer Darcy Baylis. The pair proposed working on a project together after bonding over Instagram, eventually sequestering themselves away in Esfandiari’s rehearsal space in LA, working tirelessly on what would grow to become Love Addict. The 20 minute, 7 song album feels like a dark blend of shoegaze and r&b, its songs a dreamy exploration of longing, of love and the place where those feelings meet.  

A big thank you to Kris for her generous time spent putting together this playlist for us. Steel yourself as you go on a journey from a choral gospel song to drone jams to a Lil Peep cover and landing safely in the arms of Nina Simone. It’s an eclectic mix that brings you to the edge of intensity only to draw you back time and again. 

Kris was also generous enough to allow me to badger her over email with a series of questions, which you can read in answered form below:

This playlist you've made: was there a specific vibe you were going for with it?

Just what I’ve been listening to lately. As well as some of my friends' music. I always like to include them in my playlists. No specific vibe.

What inspired the songs you chose?

I wanted to build it around that Ize track because I’ve been listening to it nonstop and want more people to hear it. It’s rare I stumble upon a track that really hits me the way that one did. I am usually rotating the same songs over and over again.

I love the way the playlist starts from the Mary Lou Williams track, builds to a peak and then takes you back down wrapping up with that Nina Simone song. 

I suppose I can always find a way to relate back to a song I’m listening to. I’m alone most of the time with little human contact so these songs are comforting for me.

I wanted to ask in particular about the Mary Lou Williams song. That track is from the period of her life after she had converted to Catholicsm and is itself a prayer to a saint that was canonized pretty late (in 1962 I believe) was there a particular significance in putting that song on there?

I found that song on a Blonded (Frank Ocean) playlist and I fell in love with it. 

I know you have a new project out right now with Darcy Baylis, do you want to talk about that a little bit? How did it come together?

Darcy and I met in LA a few years back. We were initially going to try and do a song and I was also trying to book him a show. We ended up getting super close and I suggested we go lock ourselves away and make an album and he agreed. I’m really happy at the response we’ve been getting about the album. So many positive messages. 

What were the influences for the Sugar High record? Is it a pastiche of things you were listening to at the time, or is it more of a byproduct of your collaboration?

For me: M83 & Cocteau Twins.

The last project you released was the NGHTCRWLR record, right? How was it to go from a project that was more steeped in drone, noise industrial music to the more ambient, synth sounds on Sugar High?

I released Sugar High right after the NGHTCRWLR album. I have 8 projects so I’m always rotating sounds. I want to keep it interesting. Though I’m leaning towards more uplifting music these days. Heavy music with intense lyrics and the energy surrounding all of it can really bring you down. Especially performing it all of the time. I’m mixing my King Woman record right now and that will be the heaviest thing I release for a while. I’m trying to put some light and positive energy back into the world with my next releases.

Tell me a bit about Darcy, what was it about him that made you want to work with him?

My little sister said it best: “There’s just SOMETHING about Darcy...” he’s hard to describe. Intelligent, soft yet opinionated... very thoughtful. We also have similar taste in music. It just made sense to work together. We were both quite angsty at the time as well. Hah.

Can you tell me anything about the new King Woman record you’re working on, or is it too early still to talk about it? 

Too early to talk about that one. Want it to be a surprise. :)

On that idea about light and positive energy with your next releases, do you have plans for anything after the King Woman record? Potentially something under a moniker you’ve used to date or maybe something new 

I do. I’ve been focusing on my production skills during this time. I’m going to release something under a new name with some features. Also producing for a few artists. Might release some things in a few months.

You’re prolific as hell, does it help you as an artist to be always rotating between sounds like that? It reminds me of how they say when you walk to the same place a lot you should change up your route to keep your neural pathways fresh.

Hah. I like that. Gotta keep it unpredictable.