With a name like [nara], it would not be unreasonable to expect yet another Japanese instrumental band along the lines of Mono or Te' - Nara, after all, could refer to a Japanese city or a historical era. This presumption could not be further from the truth, since [nara] are actually a five-piece hailing from the relatively less exotic climes of Montreal, Canada - the home of post-rock luminaries Godspeed You! Black Emperor - who derived their name from a passage in Antoine Volodine's novel Des Anges Mineurs. Perhaps not surprisingly, GY!BE are cited as an influence, along with the likes of Mogwai, Mono, Caspian, and Explosions in the Sky .
As you might have guessed, there are parallels between the work of [nara] and their more renowned musical neighbour. GY!BE'sSlow Riot For New Zero Kanada comprises two songs clocking in at around the 27-minute mark, as does [nara]'s EP#2 - the band's third release since their inception in 2003. Both are instrumental groups, with [nara]'s line-up comprising two guitarists, bass guitarist and drummer. However, on actually listening to the EP, it soon becomes apparent that [nara] have no interest in being just another GY!BE-sound-alike (Sparrows, Swarm And Sing! know what I'm talking about!)
Minimalism seems to be a key component of [nara]'s music, with a distorted guitar-led, Midoriyama-esque intro marking the start of first track, the aptly-named "Escalade Of Unconscious Fear." An eerily atmospheric scene is set as what can only be described as disembodied animal grunts become audible above the distortion, before a second guitar joins in, with crisp, drawn-out arpeggios acting as the perfect complement to the first instrument. Several minutes in, tantalising glimpses of crescendos emerge (although [nara] never really seem to get particularly "loud" as such), accompanied by the crashing of cymbals. About half way through, the direction of the song changes markedly, although the air of creepiness persists. The melody forged by the second guitar takes on an even more minimalist feel, rising above the feedback from the first guitar. Then, in a bizarre twist, the feedback comes to prominence as a decidedly funky beat, which could just as easily be found in a James Brown track, becomes evident in the background. You might think this completely out of context, yet it is strangely effective, somehow managing to preserve the understated, other-worldly feel of the song.
The second track, "The Pills Arrive On Friday," demonstrates yet another change in direction. As a simple melody is plucked on one guitar, tremolos emerge from the other (in a similar vein to Mono, perhaps) and again repeatedly seem to crescendo, to the point where, if you were listening to the likes of Explosions In The Sky or Mogwai, all hell would break loose. However, just as they appear to reach a peak, [nara] again restrain themselves and the guitar fades into the background. Like the first song, "The Pills Arrive On Friday" also appears to consist of two parts; in the second half, the gentle tinklings of a piano emerge, becoming interwoven with the guitars. The track ends with a haze of distortion gradually fading out.
One potential criticism of [nara] might be that their songs seem to lack direction, ostensibly never really going anywhere. However, that would do the band a great disservice, as understatement is clearly one of their key intentions. They're perhaps not the band to turn to if you like your songs loud, heavy or lively. If, however, atmospheric, minimalist music is your scene, then you could do far worse than EP#2 - and perhaps pick up the rest of [nara]'s back-catalogue while you're at it. I know I will.
-Richard White