Tag Archives: Nadu

NADU: Determinator II.

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A lot of the music I love and write about comes from the West Coast. I went through a stage a few years ago where I would only listen to music from there and wouldn’t give anything else a chance. Certain places just seem to always give us great music. Something in the water, right?

I’ve had my copy of Nadu’s new record for a few months now, and finally being able to share my thoughts on it is a pretty great feeling. If you’ve never heard his music before, you’re in for a right treat with this record. And if like me, you’ve heard what he’s done before, then you too are in for a treat!

Determinator II consists of 6 pure Garage Rock songs to blow out your eardrums and to shake you right to your core. Nader has done all of this himself, and he could well be the poster child (adult really) for that DIY ethic we all admire and appreciate. Knowing he has done all of this by himself just makes you appreciate the record more and you take in every minor detail too. Nothing goes unnoticed and you can really hear just how much work has gone into this record.

The record opens with the electrifying Survive; the perfect way to open the record and to bring you into Nader’s world. A world that just oozes everything you could possibly love about music, and more. It’s such an anthem of a song, and you just long for the days where we could go to shows and really enjoy music.

Of course with Nader being in L.A and me being in Manchester, there’s no chance I’ll catch a show of his anytime soon but what he does so well with his music is make you feel as if you’re right there at his show. You feel like you’re at a dive bar that’s a little too crammed, and you’re standing too close to people you do not know but nonetheless, you are all having a great time- that’s exactly what the whole record gives you, and this is something I really love about a lot of the bands I write about. When they can give off that feeling, you know you’ve found something genuinely great.

Nader has this great way of creating rambunctious Punk songs that take you deep into the pits of sheer raw energy and by no means do you want to climb out. The songs on this record are colossal. They are made to be played so loud you can feel your face melt and your body quake with every listen. It’s a bloody amazing record, and it picks up perfectly where Determinator left off. I think there’s about a 3-year gap between the records, and you can really hear the growth in Nader’s vocals and musicianship. He knows exactly how he wants to sound and is totally focused on that. You really get this on Determinator II. It’s so apparent. Attraction has quite a Grunge feel to it, especially vocally and the urgency in this song just makes you keep going back to it. This is one to be obsessed with.

I can’t stick with one favourite song on the record. My mind changes with every listen (and I’ve played this a lot!) but I think at the moment I might be taken with Ain’t Easy. He makes the guitar sound like this weapon of destruction, and with a snarl in his voice, this is definitely one of the heavier songs on the record. Determinator II is made up of 6 songs that show us pure talent and obsession with music. It’s got the potential to be one of those records that some kid hears and thinks, “I want to do that!” That’s all we can hope for. Make your own noise and make it loud.

Considering how shitty this year has turned out to be, we are getting a solid list of great music this year. Irrespective of genre, this year has truly given us some great records. From Gaga to The Vacant Lots (next Friday) to L.A. Witch (August!) and Nadu. Find joy where you can, and cling onto it.

NADU: Survive *Single Premier*

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During all this madness, we can always count on music to make everything better. Whether it be an old band you love, or a band you’re finding for the first time. With that in mind, I am beyond happy to share with you the premier of NADU’s brand new song, Survive which is taken from his brand new EP, Determinator II which will be out in May.

 I’ve already listened to the EP, and I can promise you that this is going to be one of the most exciting records we are going to get this year. It’s a real fast-paced Garage Rock record, and the fact that it is all done by one person makes it that more special. You can hear every ounce of passion and creativity in this record, and it definitely shines through on the lead single and EP opener, Survive. His first EP was released in 2017, and since then he’s been playing shows across the West Coast and Midwest of America and unleashing this brutal sound that you just cannot get enough of. On record, it’s just him but catch his shows, and you’ll find Nadine Torres and Kenny Esparza right next time. Buy the EP so they can head over this way and do some shows!

 

 

Survive is the perfect lead for this release; the bold and brash DIY sound is insane, and Nader’s vocals have never sounded so good! The way it just smacks you in the face right from the start, and when the vocals kick in and the drums- you just know that it is over. It is such an exciting song, and sure it’s just over 2 minutes long, but in those 2 minutes you are subjected to some real gnarly sounds. If this song doesn’t make you want to start your own band, make your own noise or whatever then I really don’t know what will! As a kid, Nader immigrated to Texas from Bangladesh, and a couple years ago ended up in LA where NADU was born. This is a project that Nader created after leaving corporate jobs behind and fully dedicating himself to music, and it’s fair to say that he made the right decision.

 My only advice to you is, if you’re stuck indoors for the foreseeable then open your windows and blast Survive as loudly as you can. The same advice applies for when the EP comes out. I was going to write about the EP here, but I’m going to hold off until closer to the time. Lord knows we all need things to look forward to right now!

 You can stream Survive, and pre-order Determinator II here .

NADU.

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Here’s another LA based Garage Rock hero for you- Nadu.

Nadu is on record, just Nader Islam but the live shows has 3 of them. Can one person make a lot of noise on their own? Can one person do everything and make it perfect? Only a fool would say no! Nadu on record, is phenomenal. So let’s get into all the reasons why Nader Islam is a brilliant musician.

Most of the time, I find music by accident or clicking on something I should/shouldn’t have, or whatever. When a band reaches out, that’s something that still takes me aback. Anyway, Nader reached out to me and with one listen- I knew I had to write about his band. A band like this cannot be ignored. A band like this need to be played loud. So, for all you Garage Rock fans- get your lugholes round this!

At the moment, we just have one release up on his bandcamp page and it is enough to satisfy your noisy needs for now but of course, you’ll want more. And more. Then some more. You get my point. For me, I love being able to hear the sheer rawness in a song or record. I love something that sounds like maybe it isn’t quite done, but you know it’s incredible either way. I get that from Nadu. The songs have this real rugged sound, and you can really pick up on the Garage Rock feel. There is something really special about this, and knowing it is all done by one person makes it that bit more impressive. I don’t think I’ve ever used ‘impressive’ in my writing before, that doesn’t mean nothing has left me feeling that way before. Now was just the right time to use it.

I’ve mentioned it so many times, but LA has some brilliant musicians of all genres but the Garage Rock bands are something else. Nadu are a band that you definitely want to hear more from. You know that with everything you hear from them is just going to blow your mind, and irrespective of how loud you play the music- you’ll hear the insane reverb, the fuzziness in the vocals, the way the drums are so brutal and how everything just comes together so effortlessly, it’s just a pleasure to listen to.

The record is called Determination, and I can safely say that this fits the mood of the record completely. You can hear in every single song the sheer passion, dedication and effort that has gone into it. The songs have this brilliant energy within them, and it’s hard to believe that just one person has done this. Imagine what the live show must be like with more musicians!

I’m pretty sure that Nadu are one of LA’s most loved Garage bands, that’s pretty clear on what I’ve seen being said about them by their fans and the like. They have a sound that massively appeals to those who are sick of hearing the same ol’, same ol’.

With just seven songs, I can confidently say that Nadu are a band I hope to write more about. I can’t wait to hear what they do next, and with a record as strong as this as their debut- they are pretty much capable of anything, and everything.

If you’re lucky enough to live in LA, make sure you catch one (or all!) of their live shows. Stand right at the front, and go absolutely nuts to the songs.

VIVA NADU!