It's hard not to like this guy, and it really doesn't matter what type of music you're normally into, because Nick Hakim's work will grab you by the ear, and force you to reconsider why you haven't already expanded your musical horizons. "I Don't Know" is yet another slow-jam in an ever-growing list of near-irreproachable slow-jams to Nick's name, and we're going to run out of praise if he doesn't drop something subpar here pretty soon. "I Don't Know" is a lot more guitar-driven than his other songs, but it's got all of that same subtle attention to detail that his EP did, and if you're already familiar with his work, then this track will be even that much more enjoyable, since you're already acclimated to his style and pace. If this is your first encounter with Nick's music, then we should warn you that it's a borderline acquired taste. This is not some type of sonic cheeseburger. It doesn't try to pander to the largest possible demographic, and it certainly isn't worried about what you think of it. What it is, though, is extremely well-crafted music that features some of the best songwriting out right now. In a music world where house music and big electronic still gets the most online traffic, Nick is slowly but surely carving out a sizable chunk of the market for himself, and he's doing it with the type of timeless tunes you just can't argue against. Yes, it may take one or two listens to fully appreciate what's going on, but once your ears get into the swing of things, there's almost nothing better that what he has to offer.
Nick Hakim