London-based dance duo are back with a Valentine's Day bass-bombing ode to sexuality and sensuality.
Track: Pleasure
Band: Nixer
Released: February 14 2023
Following the sad passing of Burt Bacharach this week, many of the tributes mentioned how you could generally identify his songs within a couple of bars, sometimes after two notes. Far be it from me to conflate the long living legend of Burt with our very own electro duo, but when one of their tracks kicks in, you generally know you are in Nixer territory. And they are broadening their horizons as you can hear on their new Valentine's Day single Pleasure.
They tell us that this is "a track with its genesis from a playful jam session amongst friends riffing on different themes". Be that as it may, from that, frontman and lyricist Seán Keenan & production wizard Gearóid Peggs have delivered a taut, menacing electro bass monster, far from notions of a lazy jam.
Scaffolded by a thundering 808 kick & booming bass line Pleasure is indeed trademark Nixer, yet there is a development in the sound as evidenced by the eerie synths which are deployed after the first verse. The wiry, analog lines are reminiscent of Bowie or Numan and add a darker, more melancholy edge to the pounding dancefloor beats which foreground the track. As the chorus starts these morph into beep frequency, synapse-firing repeat motifs which clubbers and radio listeners alike will love.
Lyrically the track explores themes both sexual & spiritual and delves deep into the Irish psyche - a rich seam indeed. The physical desires of the individual are juxtaposed with historical Catholic guilt, shame and the lack of discourse around sexuality within Irish society.
I'm a holy soul
You're a Holy Mary
I offered ya truths
You wanted to dare me
sings Seán pinpointing authentic pleasure as going more than skin deep (further than the waist down as he references later). It's so good to have Nixer back and firing - holy souls wholly engaging.
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Nixer also feature on this compilation vinyl
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