9 o’clock Nasty – Sonic
On the contemporary alternative rock scene, it’s very important to experiment in order to continuously deliver upgraded, improved, fresh sound that will stand out from anything else the remainder of the scene offers right now. Still, many artists and bands ultimately fail in their attempts by tirelessly experimenting, overly stacking various influences, or trying to reinvent the same old wheel recorded and performed by the greats decades ago. Thankfully, there are music outlets like 9 o’clock Nasty who always deliver fresh, unique, innovative, exciting ideas and instrumentations to the table. “Sonic,” their latest single released today, exemplifies how they continuously expand and improve their music, pushing their sonic palette to an entirely new level. It’s a song about how humanity follows the same old pattern, waking up in the morning, going the work, working, and getting back home to rest just to repeat all of that the next day. “Sonic” also talks about breaking that routine, running with the wolves, and never looking back. It’s a critique of the routine and praise of the rebellion at the same time. Sonically, 9 o’clock Nasty decided to do something completely different from their previous works. Instead of delivering another track adorned with layers upon layers of orchestration, they adopted a more minimalist approach. Therefore, you’ll stumble upon a cleverly assembled structure constructed by stacking fundamental elements of hip hop, trip hop, and electronic music with alternative rock, indie rock, punk rock, and leftfield foundation. This style suits them well because they managed to deliver a track that showcases their fresh sound without removing their signature moves, which have been a staple of their previous songs for years. Anyone into writing, composing, arranging, and producing music knows it’s a difficult task to achieve, yet it seems that 9 o’clock Nasty does it with such ease.
Photo courtesy of the band.
This composition maybe explores those minimalistic sonic waters, but even with its stripped-down sound, it has more elements than anything you could hear on the music scene nowadays. The exceptional drumming performance, based upon cleverly arranged, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated, steady, heavy, groovy, powerful beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, keeps everything together in line while dictating the pace. Each hit of the snare, kick of the bass drum, accentuation on a high hat or toms, and splashes over the cymbals has its place and purpose here, providing more detail, complexity, and power to this track. In the meantime, equally impressive basslines bring warmth, groove, and stability to all the other orchestrations while keeping them glued together with drums. In this case, these basslines lean more towards synthetic or distorted notes than clean and warm ones. Yet, you’ll hear how those warm notes perfectly pair with those bass drum kicks, immensely contributing to the heaviness of the beats. The synths play a significant role here, as they offer all those basslines and themes that define the sonic direction of this composition. Still, you’ll notice how themes expand into harmonies and melodies during the choruses, making this track even more complex. There are also additional accentuations, nuances, elements, details, and other enhancements lurking around and giving depth to the overall ambiance. It’s also good to mention that 9 o’clock Nasty also skillfully included pads, which are a nice addition that creates that dark, spooky ambient. Of course, this composition wouldn’t be complete without the vocals, and in this case, they guide listeners, command attention, and uplift everything to an entirely new level. From minimal vocal lines to more harmonious sing-alongs, each layer makes “Sonic” even more appealing to the ears. At some points, especially during the choruses, this song resonates with all those anthemic chants, bringing everything together nicely and emphasizing instrumentations even more.
9 o’clock Nasty never cease to amaze with their brilliant ideas and marvelous musicianship, so that’s the case with “Sonic” as well. Even with their minimalistic approach to composition and instrumentation, this song offers more listening pleasures than some more complex tracks, proving that 9 o’clock Nasty consists of outstanding songwriters, composers, and musicians capable of transforming and breathing fresh air into longstanding music genres. “Sonic” is a one-of-a-kind listening experience, rarely heard or seen nowadays, and because of its qualities, it will immediately become a staple on your playlist. Therefore, you should immediately place it on your music radar. Do not miss it!
https://youtu.be/PKXvJnIt0pc?si=D0OsIbJv395j7j4c
https://open.spotify.com/track/7vWGLOJcQTGt6qCbvxR0BE?si=f73795ade45f41af
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