Nicole Atkins & Jim Sclavunos in Italy this weekend for Siren Festival

Nicole Atkins and Jim Sclavunos create music that blends their diverse influences into a rich, unpredictable sound. From kraut-rock grooves to deconstructed sambas, spacey confessionals, and tender ballads, their songs evoke both intimacy and vastness. “I think our music sounds like heavy ancient books thrown down to the gutter by gods during a hurricane -- in slow motion,” says Atkins. “Or psychedelic folk tunes written by lonely Martians,” adds Sclavunos. Since debuting together at SXSW in 2019 and playing Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion, the pair have built on their already impressive individual careers.

Sclavunos made his name in New York’s No Wave scene with Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, went on to work with Sonic Youth and The Cramps, and has been a key part of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds since 1994. He also co-founded Grinderman and leads his own project, The Vanity Set. Atkins, known for her powerful voice and noir-tinged songs, first made waves with Neptune City in 2007 and has since released a string of acclaimed albums, including Italian Ice (2020), recorded at Muscle Shoals. This weekend, the duo will perform at the Siren Festival in Cagliari, Italy (11/07).