Who-and what-are ‘Nothing But Aces’?
This was a question that I pondered, after spending a little
while listening to their music. I had a flick through the internet, and found
out that they were evidentially a band, convened by a producer type in his late
twenties. I could find little more than that, which only served to heighten my
interest in their music.
Don’t approach their oeuvre thinking that you’re going to be
able to lay back on your sofa, close your eyes, and be embraced by gentle
grooves and whale noises. Instead, imagine that your room is full of seven year
olds, blitzed on Panda Pops, and you have more of an idea what you’re dealing
with! The music is energetic, fast, takes no prisoners-and is constantly
demanding your attention!
Essentially, ‘Nothing But Aces’ make epic, no nonsense,
electro dance music, with a definite nod towards industrial, heavy rock
elements, and with a sound that suggests a band who appear to have an
unconditional love and appreciation of 90s dance music. Indeed, I think when
first hearing the songs posted on SoundCloud, Nothing But Aces reminded me of
Manchester band ‘Jesus Jones’, mixed with rave-era act ‘Altern8’, and with
echoes of ‘The Prodigy’. (Some of the selection of tunes I heard featured the
luscious vocals of Shabin Bader, probably most notable for her vocals on
Prodigy’s 1997 smash ‘Slap My Bitch Up’).
Each track is underpinned by a rock steady saddle of sturdy
bass and beats, above which ride all manner of sonic delights, including heavy
guitars, which are sometimes tampered with to within an inch of their lives,
keyboard signatures and samples, and often really interesting additional
percussive elements, notably in the instrumental ‘Nothing But Aces’ where,
approximately one minute sixteen seconds into the composition, what appears to
be a sweet tabla sound is dropped into the mix -disappears after a time- and
returns again a minute and a half later, bringing a welcome little pick me up
to the whole exciting elixir, and another sonic excuse to swing yer pants!
The titles and lyrics, of some of the songs, suggest a
socio-political lilt- and one that serves to add extra drama to the whole
cacophony.
Thus, it maybe seems like a flippant thing to say but, for
me, this is music that would find most appreciation with people tanked up in
the dance tent of a festival, or a sweaty club; or any other arena where the
clientele are looking for excitement beyond the piss poor R’n’B, hip-pop
infused rubbish that appears to pollute the airwaves of many a provincial dance
floor, these days.
Wiping the sweat from my brow, after bopping about my house
with ‘Nothing But Aces’ blasting through my head phones-and with a smile on my
face that The Cheshire Cat would be jealous of, I ponder what is going to
happen next? Are ‘Nothing But Aces’ gigging? If so, where can I source some tickets?
Review by Sam Slattery
Check out Nothing But Aces
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