The French quartet turn down the lights and get dark on their foreboding single 'Cigarette'.
NASTYJOE (all caps, no gaps) are putting out the singles in the lead up to the release of their debut album. We had ‘Fentanyl‘ just a couple of weeks ago and now the Bordeaux 4-piece have released their follow up in the form of ‘Cigarette‘- and the contrast between the two tracks indicates this is a band who are not going to be pigeonholed.
‘Fentanyl‘ was an altogether catchier, poppy-er affair, tight and driven by melodic riffs. Whilst not exactly bubblegum ‘light’ (as NASTYJOE still have an intensity even when dialling back on the gloom) it is still a bouncier number.
Now the band showcase their darker side with the down tempo, ominous sound that builds up a truly palpable sense that something is coming right up until the final release. Patience is rewarded as the pay off makes this a pretty epic track. It’s a bit more experimental and dramatically immersive.
For the band, this is much more of a creative discovery, a departure from the sacrosanct drum/bass/guitar niche.
What really catches your attention is the floating atmosphere created by the irresistible synthesizer, the spectral backing vocals, and the structure, which isn’t really a structure at all, but which grabs you right up until the final explosion.
The video (from Negative Visual) is positively Twin-Peaksian with a nod to the doppelganger concept. The band explains:
“As ‘Fentanyl’ could do, ‘Cigarette’ is about how simple it is to put both feet into what at first seems good. This time, we’re looking at the complexity of the anxieties that can arise from this situation.
The clip features a character who lives with his own anxieties, and ends up losing himself in reality. Our aim was for this character to be embodied by each and every one of us. We portrayed several personalities characterized by different states of mind, through certain traits that convey the contradiction, the personification of what NASTYJOE is as a band”.
‘Cigarette‘ is out now via the À Tant Rêver Du Roi label.
You can purchase/stream HERE.
Main picture credit: Étienne Renollet
Follow NASTYJOE on Their Socials
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Exclusive video premiere – Griff & Michele’s superstar-filled ‘Christmas Smile’!
A song celebrating happiness and joy at Christmas time, ‘Christmas Smile’ is a true Christmas earworm, whether you like it or not!
A Phil Spector-esque
Gig Review: The Damned return to Melkweg, Amsterdam
Kicking off a short tour of the European continent before their UK tour, punk pioneers The Damned appeared at Amsterdam’s Melkweg on 26th November 2024.
Six of the best – 28th November 2024
New releases from: The Mary Tyler Whores – ‘Savage World’, Spleen – ‘Making Plans For Nigel’, Less Than Jake – ‘ Uncharted’, Sean And The
Album review: Thee Headshrinkers – ‘Head Cheese’
Chaotic. That’s the word that comes to mind when reading about – and listening to – Thee Headshrinkers, and trust us, it’s a good thing.
Album review: ‘Listen To The Mad’ – Healthy Junkies
London Alt Punks Healthy Junkies have just dropped their highly enticing new album, ‘Listen To The Mad’ on their own label, Banana Castle Records. A
Post-Punk Scuzz rockers DOLIUM release 4-CD box set to celebrate 20th anniversary!
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Sister 9 Recordings — and as part of their celebrations, the label are releasing a special Limited Edition
I’m Molly Tie- I Love punk! I play drums (badly), write a lot about punk (not as badly) and I’m particularly interested in issues relating to women in the music scene.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
