- Sep 22, 2021

New EP: "new low" by nightlife

Motivational Muses Review | by: Anastasia Logan

Released on: July 9, 2021

Soul and punk. An unlikely combination becomes the latest music innovation.

Meet nightlife and their debut EP, new low, which is taking the music world by storm! Paying homage to the Black soul artists of the 50s and 60s, nightlife has brought a 21st-century flair to a timeless genre. Get ready to be drawn into a musical experience unlike any other!

nightlife hits the ground running with "new low," an almost five-minute-long song that somehow goes by too quickly. They start off nice and easy with a gentle disco-inspired beat, paired with some good old synth to draw listeners in. Then, out of nowhere. BAM! Bring in the guitar, bass, drums — every element of punk sound they could find, right there! Now, we're only 15 seconds in! It only gets better from there! Vocalist Hansel Romero comes in hot to give us one of the greatest happy-sounding sad songs of the year.

Stepping away from my overly enthusiastic commentary, "new low" is a beautiful example of finding the perfect balance between musical elements and equilibrium if we want to be fancy. Never once did one element overpower another. There are times when ambitious artists go too far with adding everything they want; balance gets put on the back burner. Those small details make a difference and nightlife nailed that idea with "new low."

Now, I understand that after "new low," it can be easy to become overwhelmed, but we need to keep the same commotion for "all i know." This track starts off soft, not particularly in volume, but in delivery. The synth is gentle and soon meets with Romero's vocal; still, the overall dynamic is soft. Until about 30 seconds later, when the chorus hits and the track takes a stylistic 180. What was once sweet and gentle becomes a true rock track. All I have got to say is, Romero has pipes! But, their vocal control brings back an element of softness which is brilliant.

Purely for the elements of surprise, "all i know" wins as my favorite track from this EP! And yes, I will be forcing all of my friends to listen to it on full blast, regardless of location. Moving on!

Everything concludes on a softer note, with "lonely" their cover of "Lonely No More" by Rob Thomas, which gives a Neo-soul twist to a track many of us know well. I have got to say, even though Romero's vocals are *chef's kiss* the instrumentals blew me away in this track. "lonely" is the slowest song on this EP, and losing the beat could have been an easy choice. Instead, nightlife keeps the momentum alive purely through instrumental composition. Immaculate!

nightlife are another young band that are shaking up the world of music in the best way possible. From three songs, they have solidified their place in a new musical age, and I am STOKED to see what future plans they have in store for all of us!

Stream new low in its entirety on all music streaming platforms; consider buying it to add to your personal music library. Make sure to follow nightlife on all social media platforms to stay updated on all upcoming projects!

nightlife are a three-piece soulpunk band from Baltimore, Maryland.

Connect with nightlife