From Berlin to Marine – Talking Autocalm with The Nagging Doubts

Australian Post punks The Nagging Doubts have new music coming next year with work on EP Autocalm gearing up and taking shape.

The two singles ‘Berlin’ and ‘Marine’ proceed, after being “in the works for almost a year now and representing the sound that we’re moving towards as a band.”

The ‘Marine’ track is a great place to start; guitar tones here are beautiful, coupled with harmonized voices that complement each other effortlessly. Its post punk that sounds as professional as it comes.

‘Berlin’ is a track that is undeniably cool, not obviously Australian at the roots but not Americanised –  it is unique and mysterious in nature. The drums on this track really hold it all together and enthrall the listener whilst still being interesting and varied. It’s hard to write something that sounds complex, drops out when needed and feels cohesive and it really sells ‘Berlin’.

The Nagging Doubts are going to be a really interesting band to watch in the future – it is clear to see they are trying to do something different. The candidly mentioned “We want to put something out that doesn’t reflect the over saturation of happy-go-lucky indie pop that’s very big in Australia right now.”

The Nagging Doubts cited influences for the new project like “Pavement, The Velvet Underground and the Cocteau Twins” for the self-described “new sonic territory” that they have produced. If you’re a fan of any of these bands you are in for a treat with this record.

A lot has happened in the world since the band released Deug Lane and I wanted to touch base to ask how their sound now differs from their previous project. “Rather than reinventing ourselves, we’re growing naturally into darker, more thoughtful characteristics that draw on extensive influences”.

The change in theme can be seen across genres as the world feels itself a little darker right now.

It is undeniable that the challenges of COVID-19 have meant the band needed to overhaul their live show, something I can understand because Post Punk doesn’t exactly work well with a sat down, socially distanced audience.

Interestingly the band chose to remodel this live set into a “hills and valleys” performance, which could definitely provide an interesting viewing experience. As well as this the band have grasped the ability to record and write more material as they can’t be on the road, even setting up “a rehearsal space in our guitarist’s garage in local Marrickville”, showing that DIY won’t ever die.

The Nagging Doubts take great pride in finding their sounds and individual musical tastes through the records owned by their friends and family. To this end I thought I’d ask the band to recommend a few records that you should give a listen and help get you through Lockdown – whether in rainy Manchester or sunny Australia.

The Nagging doubts delivered with two great recommendations: “While you’re waiting for Autocalm and you’ve got a night alone, sit down and surrender yourself to Frigid Stars by Codeine and Painful by Yo La Tengo. Or if you need something a little more uplifting to kick your day off, check out High by Aussie legends Royal Headache.”

A few listens on each of their recommendations, really depicts the influences for ‘Marine’ and ‘Berlin’ in a recognisable and visible plain. Hints of classic Shoegaze mixed with slowcore, tie in well with their “beloved 80’s alternative”. The combined effort defines creation of post punk sound that is undeniably different.

This exciting EP, and The Nagging Doubts are definitely a band to get listen to before your mates discover them first. Keep your eyes peeled for a full review upon further releases.