NOVA TWINS - SUPERNOVA
Nova Twins show that they’re a force to be reckoned with on the duo’s latest full-length release Supernova.
Nova Twins took the scene by storm with their debut album Who Are The Girls? in 2020, exactly three weeks before the first infamous lockdown plagued the U.K. Since then, they have been met with multiple award nominations and praise. Following their support acts for Bring Me The Horizon and Little Simz, their evolution and development from here was something of great interest and anticipation.
Indeed, Supernova is bigger, more aggressive, and a statement that the group is here to stay for good. This is hinted from the dark, gloomy, and experimental intro ‘Power’, which takes the listener through a brief synopsis of what to expect throughout the project. Leading into ‘Antagonist’ and ‘Cleopatra’ it is quite clear that this experimentation pays off for the best. Groovy riffs, lyrics filled with personality, anarchy and revolution characterize the chaos behind the previously released as singles tracks. “Blacker than the leather / that’s holding our boots together”, they proudly claim their heritage and challenge the lack of diversity within the alternative scene, an issue that has plagued the genre for decades.
Following ‘Cleopatra’ are ‘K.M.B.’, ‘Fire & Ice, and ‘Puzzles’, all of which bear a strong message of woman empowerment through different topics. ‘K.M.B.’ stands for Kill My Boyfriend, and while the song delves into the story of getting revenge on an ex, it does indeed serve as a successful callout against men who promote ideas of toxic masculinity and consider themselves above all. ‘Fire & Ice’ toys with the idea of duality, in this instance expressing it through the different moods they go through as human beings, bringing down assumptions on how they are as people in real life. ‘Pictures’ seamlessly blends R&B elements alongside the duo’s usual heavy and bouncy sounds. It masterfully twists the stereotype of sexual elements in predominantly male R&B songs, promoting the band’s equality-based ideologies, and expressing the freedom women should have singing about sex without being looked down upon and judged by audiences.
‘A Dark Place For Somewhere Beautiful’ is a haunting track with probably the most memorable chorus of the project. Leaning into themes of loss, grief, and growth, it tackles dark themes and brings those themes through eerie sounds, distorted riffs and fascinating vocals, easily making it one of the best tracks on Supernova.
‘Toolbox’ masterfully flips the social pressures and beauty ideals on their head, commenting on these issues with wit and style. It’s followed by the last single released ‘Choose Your Fighter’, a fast-paced song, that fully encapsulates the band’s character, charisma and sounds.
The final two tracks on Supernova come in the form of ‘Enemy’ and ‘Sleep Paralysis’. Enemy serves as a justified middle finger to the listeners that tried to label the duo due to their looks, and constantly put them down, due to their innovation and experimentation within the alternative scene. ‘Sleep Paralysis’, the closing track, envisions a mad world through sound switches and mashups. It feels inspired by the current state of the world, having lived through a pandemic, wars, spikes in racist behaviours and assaults, and economic instability. It quite brilliantly subverts expectations, quickly shifting from trippy sounding verses to a powerful chaotic chorus and is a perfect end to an otherwise flawless record.
“Look me in the face / say you’ve never met someone like me”. Indeed, we have never met anyone like Nova Twins. They serve as a catalyst for the scene, and they claim that with all their power and ground-breaking sounds. It comes as no surprise that they are the first black women to be shortlisted in Rock & Alternative music with this record, and it feels like they have provided the spark needed to make this revolutionary change in the industry.
Dan Tsourekas
★★★★★