Words: Charlie Brown | Photo: Maite de Orbe

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On their debut EP, nudista conjure up the most palpable of melodies, the laziest of tempos, and show us that an EP pungent with innocence and single origin Columbian coffee, can in fact be strangely considered. Written and recorded during the pandemic and standing as “a kind of processing tool [against] having to disguise our anxieties”, ‘Halfway Here’ paints a wholesome picture of those same anxious thoughts.

Commencing with arguably the strongest song, ‘Confess’ washes over you like a well needed shower. It cleanses you of whatever’s remained in your mind and firmly places you within nudista’s twee world. Although there is something about recent art school graduates singing ‘I’m growing old and feeling tired’ over a stoned rhythm section which doesn’t sit right, the songs association to the isolation and endlessness of 2020’s lockdown, is unavoidable.

Following this, ‘Halfway Here’ plays out like an old Vampire Weekend music video; drifting in slow motion from images of playfulness, to the band playing unplugged instruments. Whilst the intricate fabrics of each song are strong and well crafted, the EP’s spirit-level undulations and the potential of it’s production leave ‘Halfway Here’ mirroring classic ensembles of brown and beige, curtained by an Aquascutum trench-coat. The final song ‘Morning’ sees the duo of Pilar and Robbie intertwine their different registers before a figurative belt loosening occurs during the songs final third; things get messier, synth strings appear, and everyone seems a bit heavier-handed. This final moment is where nudista are their most stimulating, offering an insight into their ability to season their songs and show off a bit.

Ultimately ‘Halfway Here’, released via Sad Club Records, presents nudista in their purest form, allowing the charming songs to be pushed to the forefront of our newly detoxed psyche.

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