At last, the long anticipated latest release from the self-proclaimed “Shoegaze renegades” band Nothing hits the shelves (or at least the streams). Since hearing the first single release “Cannibal World” back in January, the Shop here has been stoked for the full release, immediately throwing the single in many different playlists in the revolving shop radio. Within the first verse of it popping on the radio I was hooked. There is some great sense of nostalgia surrounding the musical style of Nothing. With the recent resurgence of different shoegaze styles, some records blend modern ideas and sounds with some of the most classic shoegaze records we all know and love. A Short History of Decay is a record duly belonging to this list. Their sound is dreamy, present, and puts you yearning for more in life (and more of their music).

Nothing is a band formed from Domenic “Nicky” Palermo through and through. Beginning as a solo project in 2010, he embeds his life into his music, and the passion really seeps through as Nothing takes you on a journey through the history of Decay. Through his expressive conduit do you easily grasp his feelings through life and relate that to your own. Any artist with something to say, speaking with their full chest is one of the most admirable things anyone can do in life. A Short History of Decay is basked in an overwhelming sense of nostalgic sorrow, as well as bettering progression. Spanning the style of the record over many different flavours, styles, and even some unique chord/ melodic progressions that might just catch you off guard.

Their slow acoustic tunes transport the listener into a world of wonder and sorrow, however it is the faster (sonically) picked up tunes that really shine their sound forward. The single “Toothless Coal” is a wonderful reflection of their unique sound and style. The tune is a wash of dreamy, distorted, open chords that fill the sonic space. Supported by a sharp kit and bassline more precise, busier, and modern than would typically be favoured with classic shoegaze bands. However, the sounds work very well to support each other. The vocals sitting right on top of the kit in an almost whisper while blending well with the wide special chords of the harmony. Its melody line in the chorus sections being a very classic, catchy vocal maneuver that after the song, lingers in your brain. There are even some clever tricks and melodic movements that instantly grab your ear such as in “Purple Strings” where the background keys contrasts the melody with an almost Phrygian dominant style melody movement behind the vocals, as the backing chords change between diminished, minor, and major it shifts the tonality of the keyline as it repeats. We here at The Drone Shop greatly appreciate anytime a band uses the melodies environment to change the attitude of the melody in the foreground, or Phrygian Dominant for that matter!

The record does an amazing job of really filling the sonic space of the record out, as well as not throwing all its instrumentation at you at once in the more exciting songs. This allows for the song to be able to “go somewhere”. For in songs such as “Toothless coal” where a wall of spacy distorted guitars is thrown right at you, they leave some layers open from the beginning and letting them bloom at the largest parts of the tune.  Sometimes you will catch a chorus where the overall volume was jumped up a bit for a more exciting, even larger swath of sonic sound, not atypical of modern music by any means, though sometimes it is much more apparent on the record than other times.

The record takes a professionally clean, but not too overly polished, production which fits lovely with that shoegaze sound. Nothing really gets their special depth from the harmony guitars and the vocals floating around on top. The supporting bass and percussion hold the musical center while the harmonies explore different motifs through the record. Everything from wide open chords, to feedback, to droning wavery notes that play with your sense of reality. Even using tasteful spatial effects to create a dreamlike atmosphere. I mean who doesn’t love reverse reverb on vocals!

The sound of the drums throughout the record are very unique and unexpected. I am not sure if it was entirely intentional or if all the songs were recorded together at the same time but it sounds like they used several different kits on the record. Don’t get me wrong, they all sound great and lend themselves to the songs well, its an interesting thing not seen in many records now adays. Songs like the self titled “Toothless Coal” and “Essential Tremors” have this big wide snare and kick that really hit the listener without being too far forward. Whereas “The Rain Don’t Care” and “Nerve Scales” have this very small tight kit with drastically less spatial effects that makes it a smaller sounding kit, but much more present and sure of itself. Even “Cannibal World” has its own unique drum sounds separate from the rest of the record. Though it sounds like a drum machine; the tune features a very small, precise, and dry kit highly compressed. However the kit fits the song perfectly as with how much is going on in the tune, and the fast breakbeats throughout the song really need that smaller kit so the entire song doesn’t just get washed out.

A Short History of decayis overall a groovy, spacy, modern classic sensational record. Every song on it has an interesting, catchy story to tell that keeps the listener drifting along with Nothings message. Though at times the record slows a bit quicker, and sooner than I would have liked it to. Songs like “Cannibal world” “Toothless Coal” and the title track really left me wanting more of that high energy to groove and amble through the clouds, every time those tunes end just too soon. Even then, I really hope to catch them play if they tour through the PNW. Getting the band in the Drone Shop to talk about their success, production, and what the meaning is behind the history of decay and how it might pertain to the human condition would be quite a grand experience.

A Short History of Decay is a great record for anyone looking to get lost or to get found. The record is akin to remembering that one specific candy from your childhood you haven’t had in years that isn’t exactly what you remember, but it’s oh so good.

A Short History of Decay was written and performed by Nothing band.

Produced by Nicholas Bassett, Domenic Palermo, and Sonny Diperri

Mixed by Nicholas Bassett and Sonny Diperri

Mastered by Stephen Marcussen