by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
There's something undeniably engaging about the disorienting nature of Nouveau. The Chicago trio play the kind of post-hardcore that requires "sea legs," it shakes and stumbles in every direction, warping queasy structures into dense bursts of tangled noise. Set to release their full-length debut, Fever Glow, on November 15th via Sooper Records, the band balance between technicality and dissonant force, teetering on the line between jazzy art-rock and explosive lo-fi punk. Shrouded in a layer of fuzzy hiss, Nouveau's basement show charm is a knotted example of both brains and brawn
"Rue Force Tube," the album's opener relies on that disorienting disposition. Opening with a slow build of discordant melodies and crashing cymbals, the band spend nearly a minute setting the scene, drawing you in, welcoming you to their own harsh reality. The guitar's pull at staccato riffs that feel strangled yet warm, recalling the earlier work of bands like Polvo and Shipping News. As it evolves the colors presented become more vivid, more hopeful; and then the verse begins and claustrophobia swallows everything whole. The song contracts, tightening around the jagged low end, sludgy scrapes of guitars, and Zach Elias' near-spoken shouts. The tension is unnerving, but Nouveau rip and tear through breaks in the chaos, navigating each twist and turn, leaving a wake in its trail. The Sooper Records hot streak continues.
Nouveau's Fever Glow is out November 15th via Sooper Records.