Brooklyn-based synth trio Nation of Language have released "September Again," the latest single from their upcoming debut album Introduction, Presence. It premiered on Paste, who said, "Rather than drawing on the atmospheric darkwave of many of today's modern synth-pop outfits, [Nation of Language] channels the soaring hi-fi pop of the '80s, and the electro-pop and dance-punk revival of the '00s."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Introduction, Presence will now be arriving digitally on May 22, and the band will now host their live, hometown celebration at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on May 29. Fans who have already purchased the album on vinyl via pre-order (and fans who would like to do so) will receive their copies on or around April 3.
Discussing the band's latest single, songwriter-vocalist Ian Devaney stated, "September Again is about struggling with the feeling that with each passing year you're only becoming a worse version of yourself-less capable of wonder or grand ambition, less sure of your footing in your own life. I used to just pick up a book like 'Crime and Punishment' or a detailed history of the Italian campaign in WWII. Those kinds of artistic/academic adventures now feel so much more daunting for some reason. There is a grit that is required to relentlessly pursue these things like I used to, and I can feel that part of me slipping. I tell myself it's simply because I've picked a lane in life and I only have so much time, but there is always the nagging suspicion that I have, in reality, deteriorated in some meaningful way. The song comes out of this war within myself where one part of me is desperately wanting to get back there, while another part is only looking to what lies ahead in the life I've made for myself."
Inspired by the early new wave and punk movements, Nation of Language's energetic anthems blend upbeat energy with a healthy dose of sardonic melancholy. Their live performances have earned them a reputation for delivering frenzied nights of unexpected bliss. Tracks such as the recent "Rush & Fever," which Stereogum said contained, "...an infectious new wave bassline and interlocking synth patterns that burrow straight into your skull," and "Indignities," which features Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes on drums, have garnered praised from outlets such as The Fader, Paste, NME, AltCitizen and AMNY, among others.
The two-year process of creating Introduction, Presence involved both musical exploration and self-discovery. Nation of Language went into the studio without an agenda, ready to experiment with new instruments to see what sounds came out. "There's something fascinating to me about how emotions can present themselves when one is unsure of what exactly they're doing," Devaney mused. "It's important to me that people feel that core of innocence and pure discovery out of which these songs were born."
These powerful emotions transcend time and genre, and they have endeared Nation of Language to concertgoers who have had the opportunity to witness their live act, as well as listeners who have come across their early singles as if discovering a hidden secret.
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