The Perth, Australia-based electronic musician, and producer Captn K, aka Nathan Nesbit, released his new EP, Salad Days, not long ago via Picnic Records.
Explaining the EP, Captn K says, “This is music for the lockdown generation. Inspired by the sounds of the ‘90s house scene and the frustration over the state of things, a planet suffering and a people on the edge. Yearning for a new attitude, a variation on a theme, the EP pulls on those nostalgia strings. The end result has surprising parallels with love lost. However, the music is inspiring and warm. It’s sadness and happiness at the same time!”
The creation of Nathan Nesbit, Captn K grew up listening to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. A friend introduced him to electronic music from bands such as Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, The Grid, and The Beloved. After finishing school, sans any formal musical training, he purchased an Ensoniq VFX synthesizer and began experimenting.
Later, he played with Sensory Overload and then got into DJing, where he played vintage music, which influenced his own sound with funk and trip-hop. In the end, he began releasing his music, which evolved into lo-fi, deep house, released on his own label – Picnic Records Australia.
Encompassing six-tracks, Salad Days begins with the title track, opening on potent, polyrhythmic percussion, along with a vibrating bassline. Percolating synth colors infuse the harmonics with psychedelic flavors as echoing vocals deliver the lyrics.
Highlights include “Unspoken Words,” riding a thumping kick-drum, while low-slung oozing tones emanate in waves. Seductive vocals give the lyrics sensuous savors as emerging tendrils of bleeding sprays imbue the tune with rising silky hues.
“Down Low” travels on emerging glossy coloration, followed by a tribal-lite beat topped by washes of creamy, undulating blushes. “City Tracking,” vaguely reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Gils” on the intro, slowly builds layers of sound into radiant lo-fi dance textures.
With Salad Days, Captn K delivers infectious rhythms capped by blooming rinses of lo-fi deep house music guaranteed to captivate.
