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Chaos and beauty – those are words Amy Love and Georgia South have repeated like a mantra around the release of the third Nova Twins album, Parasites & Butterflies. By their own admission, it’s a record that was born out of darkness, for even amid the crashing lows that inevitably accompany the highs of success, deadlines wait for no one.
The album is a response to the intense pressure that follows the whirlwind of early success, with a focus on the impact on the girls’ mental health that sees them wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
From the frenetic, shimmering Glory all the way to the darkly sweet Black Roses, the emotional arc of their storytelling is more immediately apparent this time around. It starts out in a vulnerable place and builds in confidence that at times turns to rage.
Which is not to say it’s all doom and gloom: Parasites & Butterflies is energised and exciting. Amy’s incandescent voice is more versatile than ever and she flexes her full range with all its colour, light and shade, from her lightning-fast verses on the cheeky, sensual Drip to the beautifully controlled performance of Hummingbird, an almost-ballad about grief.
What hasn’t changed is their talent for making immense, danceable songs that transcend genre. They never make the obvious choice: confessional anthem Monsters incorporates drum’n’bass and industrial elements, but with a big, soaring chorus.
Georgia can make just about any conceivable sound with just her bass and pedals, creating a deliciously heavy wub-wub-wub sound that you can feel in your stomach. N.O.V.A has the flavour of a 90s rock/ hip hop crossover, with its RATM-esque guitar riff and addictive chant chorus. At this point, their punk swagger seems to have returned; by Hurricane, they’re resolute, spitting ‘Keep the pressure on, ’cause we ain’t going nowhere.’
Parasites & Butterflies’ conception may have been fraught, but Nova Twins have made something beautiful out of the chaos.
Parasites & Butterflies is out August 29 via Marshall. Nova Twins UK tour starts in Bristol on October 11. For the full list of upcoming dates, visit their official website.
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