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New Nile Long: “Rush To The Groove”

When The Brixton Academy announced that they would no longer be recording under that moniker but instead as Nile Long, one had to wonder if it would also mean a change in sonic identity. The EP the group released last year seemed to signal that, yes, this wasn’t going to be the same collection of painfully earnest synth-poppers – Nile Long sounded locked in, more concerned with moving feet than moving hearts. None of it was bad, but it also lacked the emotions-on-sleeves charm that defined The Brixton Academy, most of Nile Long’s early output sounding like, well, 80’s-aping stuff a lot of people have been doing.

New single “Rush To The Groove” surprises because it finds Nile Long edging back to the sound they carved out as The Brixton Academy, but still managing to make this new project sound different. The vocals aren’t quite as tight as they were on the Nile Long EP, the band allowing them to sound a little more mournful without ever slipping into the Kermit-The-Frog territory TBA tended towards. The big change, though, is in the music itself. “Rush To The Groove” does anything but, avoiding forced fun in favor of creating a surprisingly melancholy atmosphere where every neon-tinged synth sound like a good time, but conceals drops of loneliness. And despite the more subdued move, this song STILL sounds like it would be great 2-in-the-morning dance-floor material. Nile Long are finally getting the hang of it. Listen below.

New Nile Long: “Rush To The Groove”

The Brixton AcademyがNile Longに改名した時、そのサウンドがどう変化するのか誰もが疑問に思ったはず。去年リリースされたEPは今までの彼らの痛いほど純粋なシンセポップとは違い、心よりも体を動かすサウンドでした。楽曲はもちろん素晴らしいのですが、The Brixton Academyの暖かさは消え、逆に最近かなり普及している80年代風に。

ただ驚きなのが最新シングルの”Rush To The Groove”ではThe Brixton Academyの人間味を取り戻しつつ、新しい音楽に挑戦している事。ボーカルはNile Long EPほどタイトではないものの、寂しげでメランコリックな雰囲気が特徴的。かといって夜中の2時頃に踊るのにも適しているのがびっくり。これからがNile Longの本領発揮なのでしょうか。