Live Review: NoMBe offers up disco, soul, psychedelia and more in ‘Wait’

With each listen of German-born, LA-based artist NOMBE’S new single, ‘Wait’, I find it more and more difficult to pin down. It’s chock-a-block with various influences, from dance to disco to the indulgent, drawn-out guitar solos of ‘70s rock ’n’ roll, and as diverse as they might be, they fit together beautifully without blurring or drowning each other out. There are clear building blocks in soul, electronica, and psychedelia, and the end result is a chill, melodic track that builds and builds, coalescing into a small but refreshingly clear, crisp drop.

Deep, gravelly vocals with subtle guitar stabs quickly give way to smooth harmonies and driving production. The percussion takes a back seat to thick grooves and bright, sexy guitar licks, but there’s still just enough there for ‘Wait’ to easily find itself bouncing along in some summery mix. Stacked with nods to the classic sounds of rock, soul, and electronic music, NoMBe’s most recent effort is a masterclass in taking contrasting styles and crafting a serious groove. How many tracks have you heard recently with both drops and a sultry guitar solo?

Music runs in NoMBe’s family - his godmother is Chaka Khan (!!!), his father was a drummer, producer, and songwriter, his grandfather a DJ. But he distances himself from this, trying to let his music speak for itself, and speak it does, with his previous EP generating a flurry of attention online. He has a lot of tunes still in the bank, waiting to be released, and I, for one, can’t wait to hear more.

Words by Ted Dwyer

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