On their debut “For the first time” BC, NR melded klezmer, post-rock, indie and an often intense spoken word delivery. On “Ants From Up There” they have expanded on this unique concoction to create a singular sonic middle ground that traverses classical minimalism, indiefolk, pop, alt rock and a distinct tone that is already unique to the band.
The band (Lewis Evans, May Kershaw, Charlie Wayne, Luke Mark, Isaac Wood, Tyler Hyde and Georgia Ellery) have also shared the first single from the album, ‘Chaos Space Marine’, a track that has already become a live favourite with fans since its first public airings earlier this year - combining sprightly violin, rhythmic piano, and stabs of saxophone to create something infectiously fluid that builds to a rousing crescendo. It’s a track that frontman Isaac Wood calls “the best song we’ve ever written.” It’s a chaotic yet coherent creation that ricochets around unpredictably but also seamlessly. “We threw in every idea anyone had with that song,” says Wood. “So the making of it was a really fast, whimsical approach - like throwing all the shit at the wall and just letting everything stick.”
Recorded at Chale Abbey Studios, Isle Of Wight, across the summer with the band’s long-term live engineer Sergio Maschetzko, it’s also an album that comes loaded with a deep-rooted conviction in the end result. “We were just so hyped the whole time,” says Hyde. “It was such a pleasure to make. I've kind of accepted that this might be the best thing that I'm ever part of for the rest of my life. And that's fine.” Their debut “For the first time” is a certain 2021 Album of the Year, having received ecstatic reviews from critics and fans alike as well as being shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.
Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Chaos Space Marine
3. Concorde
4. Bread Song
5. Good Will Hunting
6. Haldern
7. Mark’s Theme
8. The Place Where He Inserted the Blade
9. Snow Globes
10. Basketball Shoes
Bonus Live Album: Live From The Queen Elisabeth Hall
Mark’s Theme (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Instrumental (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Athens, France (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Science Fair (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Sunglasses (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Track X (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Opus (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Bread Song (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Basketball Shoes (Live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall)
