London based duo: Nudista are back on form with their newest EP since the lockdown-recorded folk rock outing: Halfway Here. When I reviewed that record, I was struck by the songwriting chemistry of the two key members: Pilar Matji Cabello and Robbie Carman. They work way more as a partnership than most bands, and though the lead vocal credit seems to tick between them throughout their songs, you do end up with one quite singular vision.
Take for instance: Nothing Makes Sense Until It Does, which starts with a tone that is immediately heavier in its presentation than previous Nudista releases. Different Eyes has the consistent elements of their folk-rock pedigree, with raw harmonies and soaring lap steel, set into place with a grungy guitar riff that immediately expanded what I’ve come to expect from their music.
Similarly, Waiting Room continues this newer Nudista palette with a greater energy, filling the sound with layered riffs and compressed vocals in a way that’s almost shoegaze-y. It’s controlled in an obliging way, never dipping fully into the chaos of that genre, but still capturing that ferocity in the echoing vocal performance. I loved the band’s ability to propel itself away from indie twee-ness and into something with a bit more edge without seeming disingenuous to their core sound.
The EP moves in this way as well, encompassing more of the folk side of their sound in Somebody Else. It’s a pretty straightforward acoustic ballad, with a very fresh and direct recording style. But the dreamy way the low hum of the strings and second guitar slowly fade in kept me engaged more in the atmosphere Nudista was creating. The song is tranquil, but the production allows it to become something more complex, making for a great moment on the EP.
On closing statements, I’d say Nudista are a band that can straddle the line between downbeat, sentimental and endearing. Their lyrics reflect this quite well, especially on the closing track: Codependency which is quite antithetically dour and goofy at the same time. Carman sings of wanting to turn back time, but having to learn to be okay with that impossibility, and it makes for a sincere ending to an earnest EP.
Nudista on this EP have found ways to diversify their sound without losing sight of makes them work as a band, and I commend them for it. The songwriting can feel straightforward at points, but I do like this band’s personality and would encourage anyone who’s enjoying the recent wave of jangle-pop and folk rock coming out of London to give it a listen.
Nothing Makes Sense Until It Does is out now on Sad Club Records, and you can buy tickets to their headline show at The George Tavern on Friday here.
