If you’re anything like me, the word Nightbus will fill you
with some degree of anxiety. I’m talking drunken men shouting at each other, fighting,
the waft of takeaway food, vomit and discarded beer bottles rolling round the floor
whilst a girl near the front of the vehicle is crying, consoled by her friends:
“He really isn’t worth it. You’re better than that darling.”
Thankfully this Nightbus, a three piece from Manchester (not to
be confused with the ‘filter disco’ four piece of the same name from the
previous decade) is a far more appealing proposition. From what’s been released
so far I’d describe them as a darkly languid indie band with a heart of goth.
With the likes of new artists such as Heartworms (who they recently supported
in Brighton) currently getting a lot of attention, the kings of dark-pop The
Cure being back on the road and night-queen Siouxsie Sioux set to
return this summer, right now it’s a good time for new goth influenced bands to step out of the
shadows - even if it means that a nasty bright spotlight might shine on them.
To pigeon-hole Nightbus as just goth is wide of the mark
though. Their debut track Way Past Three is dreamy and gently ethereal and starts with a guitar sound similar to The Edge from U2, whilst
new song Mirrors throws ghostly shapes not dissimilar to a less taunt Joy
Division with its chugging bassline and haunting synths. What is certain though
is that whilst their music would sound great on your headphones late at night
on the sodium lit bus ride home, their world is not one of kebabs and drunk
fighting, but one of moody indie-art-pop, ready to hypnotise you.
Nightbus consists of Olive Rees, Zac Melrose and Jake
Cottier. You can catch them live supporting Iceage in Manchester tomorrow
night.
Nightbus - Mirrors
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