Navasa are an independent Electronica/Altrock duo based in Maryland, USA, who took their name from Navassa Island, just off the coast of Haiti.
Tammy Sue Everett hails from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, while Gregory Biribauer is originally from Toronto, Ontario, and they have quite some pedigree, having worked with Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, The Vines, Julian Lennon, earthlings?, The Spores and Lords of Acid among others.
They promise a blend of Battles, How to Destroy Angels, Stereolab, TV on the Radio, Ladytron, and Massive Attack, and on balance, that’s more or less what they deliver. ‘Redusted’ is bold, ambitious, widescreen.
Single cut ‘Omnipresent ‘is representative both sonically and politically: a song ‘about how the world’s power elites have invaded our lives while controlling a very narrow narrative’ which they describe as ‘Not cool’, the song itself is, and so is the album.
‘On Slaught’ makes for a strong opener, showcasing the full range of the band’s eclecticism in a brain-churning two-and-a-half minutes that brews up a sonic stew of electronica and post-rock. Across the album’s 15 tracks – which does make it a bit of a monster – there are wings between these dominant styles, and sometimes it feels like it’s trying to please a broad cross-section without really committing, but over the stretch, it evolves to form something relatively cohesive.
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‘Star Surfing’ stands out as an example of layered, processed, harmony-filled electro-tinged post-rock with a certain proggy twist: it’s spacious, melodic, immersive. ‘Timeless Visions’ stands out at the more electro end of the band’s spectrum, with wafting synths and processed vocals drifting over a mechanised drum track that evokes a certain retro vibe.
As an album, it’s cohesive yet varied, and rich in atmosphere and strong on songcrafting, meaning there’s a lot to like.
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