There’s an obscured beauty and a slithering cool that oozes throughout First Taste of Heaven– It’s raw and driving, powerful and playful, all with direct songwriting that is as revelatory as it is mysterious and compelling. Nuclear Daisies is made up of Austin players Rob Glynn (ex Temple of Angels), Alex Gehring (Ringo Deathstarr) and Robby Williams. Together the three created a record that is literally and figuratively– an eye-opening, DMT-soaked view at a world in chaos– not to mention a new vision for 90’s alternative and big beat for the next generation.
First Taste of Heaven is about life in all its glory and shroud– a post-apocalyptic journey through celebration, love, heartache, pain, acceptance and finally transcendence– physical, spiritual and even supernatural. And though the creation of the record was based on personal trials and tribulations, it also offered escapism from that same harsh reality in the form of catharsis and healing.
“Infinite Joy”, available today announces itself with the snap and the thump of a breakbeat and a snarling bassline, starkly contrasting from Gehring’s breathy, seductive vocals which drive the track. The juxtaposition adds drama to pensive lyrics that mine the dredges of mental health and the road to recovery. “The lyrics perfectly express the depths of depression and the hopelessness that someone can feel to claw their way out of it,” admits Gehring.
Listen / Share / Playlist “Infinite Joy”
Nuclear Daisies tracked First Taste of Heaven at Hungry Dog Sound & Studio in Austin, Texas with Williams at the helm over the course of a year. Their inspiration was less obvious – “I’d say it wasn’t specific productions but more specific vibes that we wanted to emulate,” specifies Williams. “We had clear visions of how we wanted certain songs to not only sound, but feel too– very sci-fi and dystopian. One song we wanted to feel like attending the vampire rave from ‘Blade’– tense, pulsing, but also a little bit dangerous. We wanted a different track to feel like the underground rave at the end of the world from ‘The Matrix’ – just sort of this lawless party of no rules at the end of days. There were also times when Alex would be in the booth and we’d say ‘sing it like you’re crying’ or ‘try it like a dead choir member.’ There are a lot of wild influences in there that come from disparate places and not just conventional ideas.”
First Taste of Heaven is droney, cacophonous, and antagonistic yet serene and with melodic pop sensibilities that hook into you and don’t let go. It’s the follow up to their 2022 S/T debut which featured hit single “Heaven In Your Head”. Nuclear Daisies will soon see its reissue via Portrayal of Guilt Records in addition to the release of First Taste of Heaven on August 1.
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[Thanks to Bailey at Another Side!]