Nai Harvest have been streaming half of their forthcoming ‘Hold Open My Head’ EP for the last couple of weeks via BandCamp. Those who have had a chance to listen to the first two tracks have most likely been enjoying the head-start in wrapping their musical minds around the multitude of influences that have informed the beautifully understated sound – a sound which emanates from a simple guitar and drum set up.
The opening bars of ‘Rush’ may suggest a heavy grunge influence throughout the fifteen-odd minutes to come, yet ‘Hold Open My Head’ shares as much in common with surf-pop as it does with the genre. Nai Harvest throw just enough downtrodden tones to give the sound a grittier edge – at times sounding like a rockier Best Coast; a band which hasn’t found much mention on these pages in the past.
There’s a light-hearted airy feel to the sound, despite the guitar riffs on ‘Pastels’ or the fast-paced drumming on ‘I Don’t Even Know’. The intricate guitar work that underpins the EP is as Californian as it is from the steel city, while Ben Thompson’s perfectly raw vocals sit on the verge of breaking throughout. There are hints of the increasingly prominent emo revival, but this is constantly battling with the grunge and surf-pop influences.
Nai Harvest have, and will, find themselves pigeonholed into the same 90s revival movement as Moose Blood or Daylight, however their foundations are more firmly rooted in earlier, grungier material. ‘Hold Open My Head’ is beautifully selective over when to amplify, instead opting to remain consistently subdued. This builds a suitably melancholic atmosphere – one that appears whimsical on the surface but is evidently darker underneath.
Building upon 2013’s ‘Whatever’, ‘Hold Open My Head’ allows Nai Harvest to cement their sound. Despite evident influences, the band have developed a unique intricate apathy which incites nostalgia yet sounds incredibly current. It’s a great example of what the duo can achieve, and one that shines a bright light on their future.
BEN TIPPLE