Nu Sensae: Sundowning

★★★★★★★★★★★

Starting out as a bass and drums hardcore/punk duo Nu Sensae has expanded both as a band and with the scope of their sound on their newest release Sundowning.  Andrea Lukic (bass/vocals) and Daniel Pitout (Drums) recruited noise rock guitarist Brody McKnight and the Vancouver based trio has produced an exhilarating release.

Packed with primal energy the songs come fast and furious at the listener behind a wall of drums and caterwauling vocals from Lukic but it’s McKnight who orchestrates a nuanced sense of sound tweaking that elevates the record.  “Dust” has a minute build up that explodes while “Whispering Rule” begins with a three minute instrumental featuring some fantastic spaghetti western guitars over a galloping drum beat before crashing off the cliff.   

“Spit Gifting” has flairs of L7 but more importantly the range of songs also call to mind Bad Moon Rising era Sonic Youth if more raw and to the point.  That sense that anything can happen, even in a 3:10 song like “Burnt Mask” (which is a disk highlight with its mid-section guitar break) is what keeps the ear excited and engaged.  The disk closing “Eat Your Mind” seems to be a direct homage to the New York noise group’s early years and a damn good one at that.

A DIY production sound on Sundowning adds to the intimacy as if you are in the dark dank club with them as they thrash away.  Nu Sensae has constructed a messy, noisy, confusing full length album, and all of those things make me want to hear it again.