The 4-track EP is the second collaboration between the soulful, visceral style of singer-songwriter Shorbanoor and Alien Panda Jury’s textured, otherworldly soundscapes. Nothing Pictures 2 is a cohesive concept-driven EP that tells a story: the journey of a young man whose deep dive into a video game leads him to divinity.
‘The Arcade’ gives us the eerie image of a young boy elevated from the ground mid-game in a psycho-stupor, eyes entranced and a mouth full of static. In an instance of complete immersion, he has stumbled upon the Truth; he has danced with God.
Written together by Daniel and Shehzad in the span of a night or two, the music pulses like a live organism. The EP is structured as a journey, meditative and evocative in parts, frantic and chaotic in others. From high pitch falsettos to a preacher’s rhythmic cadence, the vocals evolve and surprise from one track to the next, against a backdrop of unpredictable rhythms and lush chords.
Strongly situated in a time and place that makes it difficult to dream, this musical exploration confidently invites us into the realm of fantasy, as it celebrates awe and wonder. Nothing approached with love is frivolous, and attention, when given over willingly and fully, is holy.
This EP is a project of musical world building that refuses to let the listener exhale.
text excerpt from bandcamp - Released on June 18, 2024
