Killer Road is the upcoming album from Soundwalk Collective—the trio of Stephan Crasneanscki, Simone Merli, and Kamran Sadeghi—with Patti Smith and her daughter Jesse Paris Smith. It is a tribute to Nico and was put together specifically as a narrative about the singer’s tragic death in 1988. Through the album, Smith reads Nico’s poetry and lyrics over music from Soundwalk Collective. The album also has melodies performed on Nico’s harmonium, which was rescued from a pawn shop by Smith in 1978. Killer Road was conceived as a live performance initially and was performed in 2014. The album is due out September 2nd through Sacred Bones in the US and Bella Union in the UK. Hear the title track below.

In a interview with Zoo about the project, Smith talked about Nico’s influence as a performer who “sung in such a unique way, not in a traditional way.” She also said, “That was interesting and instructive for me when I was young because I had no ambition to be a singer—I was simply trying to deliver my poetry as she did—in a unique way.”

Killer Road:

01 Killer Road
02 My Heart Is Empty
03 Evening of Light
04 Saeta
05 Secret Side
06 Fearfully In Danger
07 I Will Be Seven
08 The Sphinx
09 My Only Child