Best described but not encapsulated as “New Age Grunge”, Nani?!, emerges as one of South Africa’s premiere up-and-coming Rock acts. Their clashing mixture of sonic tones combined with a relentless pulsating energy makes Nani?! impossible to ignore. From the eclectic 70s pedals of King Crimson to the sensible soft catchy melodies of The Goo Goo Dolls, Nani?! is continually pushing their sound forward and backwards in their new EP  ‘Everyone’s Lookin’ At Me’.

Track 1, ‘Eeeeee’

The screeching at the beginning kicks this EP off at breakneck speed, with the rampant guitar riffs charging towards you throughout the entire track. The vocals screeching down your throat in collaboration with the relentless drums drive this track to Nirvana – the Buddhist concept, not the band. 

Track 2 – I could (but I’d have to write you a long song) 

 Those early 2000s Pop-Punk-esque drums come kicking in hard with track 2’s irresistible atmosphere, drawing you in with its nostalgic sound. Immediately, I’m punched by this guttural imagery with a track that feels like staying up all night after a breakup. “I Could” is a postmodern 3AM classic, foreshadowing the tone for the rest of the EP…

Track 3 – Broke n’ Bored

It’s at this point of the EP that the music began dragging me deeper into the roots of its sound. There’s a feeling of finality to this track like rolling credits on a great film. The slurred vocals get drunker and drunker as we hit the many crescendos that are produced with the progression of the track which lulled me into this world of Nani?! one riff at a time.

Track 4 – I’m doin better (might get worse again) 

As if Radiohead went Punk, the ‘In Rainbows-ness’ fused with the barrage of Classic Rock noise makes for a satisfying conclusion to the mixture of influences heard on ‘Everyone’s Lookin’ At Me‘. The vocals scratch you harder than ever before, the drums clapping back at you, with the guitar pulling the strings of the entire track. Nani?! Has impressed immensely with their debut EP and their love for the music they make is heard in every single track on this project leaving me with a yearning to see these tracks live.