Only one full length in and British indie band Nai Harvest is already changing it up. Since forming in 2011, the two-piece has delivered some seriously fantastic emo albums, including last year’s Hold Open My Head, and created a pretty distinct sound in the process. But with their new single “Buttercups”, from their upcoming split with Playlounge, they seem to be moving away from emo, in favor of a much heavier sound.
Almost immediately, it’s clear that their new song has some obvious shoegaze influences, borrowing from the fuzzed-out dream-pop guitar sound of fellow drum-and-guitar combo PS I Love You and ditching Lew Currie’s nimble drumming style in favor of a more simplistic, driving one. Fortunately, frontman Ben Thompson hasn’t changed much as far as his singing is concerned, and still vacillates between a lovely croon and an unhinged yell as he sings “I don’t wanna feel like a robot, stab me in the chest/You’ll not fill me up again, with buttercups.” But what’s so great about “Buttercups” is that all of these elements come together to create something that is much more than the sum of its parts, which is hopefully a sign of things to come.
You can listen to “Buttercups” below and look for Nai Harvest’s split with Playhouse when it comes out August 21 on Dog Knight Records and Topshelf Records:
Nai Harvest Tour Dates:
July 27 – Tramlines Festival – The Great Gatsby, Sheffield, England
Aug 3 – Rhondda Rocks – The Factory – Porth, South Wales
Aug 8 – Beacons Festival, Noisey Tent – Skipton, West Yorks, England
Aug 24 – Art Is Hard Fest 2 – London, England – Shacklewell Arms
Sept 5 – London, England – Old Blue Last*
Sept 6 – Leeds, England – Cockpit*
Sept 7 – Birmingham, England – The Flapper*
Sept 8 – Bristol, England – The Exchange*
Sept 9 – Brighton, England – Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar*
Sept 10 – Paris, France – La Macanique*
Sept 11 – Cologne, Germany – Underground*
Sept 12 – Eindhoven, Holland – Kafee Aloys*
Sept 13 – Munster, Germany – Cafe Lorenz*
Sept 14 – Hamburg, Germany – Rote Flora*
Sept 15 – Hannover, Germany – Bei Chez Heinz*
Sept 16 – Berlin, Germany – Cassiopeia*
Sept 17 – Dessau, Germany – Beat Club*
Sept 19 – Lucerne, Switzerland – Treibhaus*
Sept 20 – Stuttgart, Germany – Juha West*
Sept 21 – Frankfurt, Germany – 11er*
Sept 22 – Antwerp, Belgium – JH Kavka*
Sept 24 – Southampton, England – Joiners*
Sept 25 – Cardiff, Wales – Clwb Ifor Bach*
Sept 26 – Derby, England – The Victoria Inn*
Sept 27 – Glasgow, Scotland – Stereo*
Sept 28 – Manchester, England – Star & Garter*
Sept 29 – Kingston, England – Fighting Cocks*
* w/Superheaven
