The Best Time Of The Year: NUBACK’s Goodbye Summer, Again EP

Ahhhhhh, people flocking to beaches, cicadas chirping off in the trees, Twitter folk whining about the heat. Summer is here! And, soon enough, it will be gone.

After a few years where a lot of Japanese acts (and, honestly, a bunch of groups from around the world) tried to capture an endless summer through music, 2013 has seen a few acts approach the season with a bit more ennui. Slow Beach’s debut album obsessed about leaving as much as surfing, and now comes NUBACK with Goodbye Summer, Again, an EP that sees the end of August on the horizon, and reacts accordingly. The four tracks here are constructed out of sounds that easily could play over a beach party – laid-back guitars, warm synths, sparkles, island-flavor drums. Only opener “Summer In Your Eyes” really gives itself over to the warmer months, all slinky guitar grooves and high-pitched singing that seems blinded by good times. But after that, things get melancholy. The title track loops a mournful instrumental while a voice sings deeper in the mix. “Heartbeat Summer” moves even slower, like capturing the last sunset of Summer. Closer “When The Party Is Over” reintroduces a dance edge to NUBACK’s latest collection, but even as synths sparkle off, the vocals sound a touch downtrodden, grasping onto something that seems to be fading away. Makes you appreciate what’s left…and will surely help when the autumn roles in. Listen below.