Leicester indie-electronic trio National Opera reveal their ethereal and elegant debut EP, 'The God, The Child'.
Following a string of singles released throughout 2023, the new EP brings together the band's sound across 4 cohesive, genre melding tracks that move between vibrant electronica and bright indie resulting in a sound comparable to Everything Everything and Alt-J whilst also harking back to elements of Gary Newman and even at times Kraftwerk.
From the pulsing electronics, almost chanted lead vocals and uneasy from of 'Different Place To heal', to the emotive, slow shoe-gaze tinted 'A New Kind Of Energy', to the vibrant melodies over intertwining electronics and bright live guitar lines of 'In Love' and 'The Scenic Self', the EP is effortlessly beautiful and brilliantly constructed. Tied together by the honest, reflective lyricism and effortlessly captivating, falsetto lead vocals, the musicality of the tracks is complimented by the delicate, considered nature of the delivery.
Reflecting on the EP, the band shares their insights: "The God, The Child to me is about innocence lost – growing up and realizing you and the world aren't who or what you want it to be, but also about holding hope that change for the better is possible through effort and love. Sonically we’ve tried to translate that in a way that’s kind of comforting, Gary keeps describing it as cosy music and it’s definitely something like that. Music for dancing with or hugging your friends and loved ones through it all."
Immersive, melodic and intricate, the EP is a brilliant example of how National Opera have formed a strong sonic identity with 4 diverse tracks which retain an accessibility whilst displaying an air of experimentation.
Listen below: