In late July, Something Like Nostalgia came across my desk, and it took me a few weeks to finally get the chance to be able to sit down with it and give it a true listen. I’ve been sitting on this release for about two months, and I’m still speechless in regards to all that it has to offer and the fact that it hasn’t created bigger waves.
Appropriately, The Abbasi Brothers consists of two brothers, Amman and Yousuf Abbasi. The duo live in Berkley and released their debut album, Something Like Nostalgia, this summer. The first thing that the listener will notice is the fact that the music produced by the brothers does not sound raw at all; they already give the impression of musical veterans. While any number of artists could be named to present an idea of what these two are capable of, in reality The Abbasi Brothers should be listened to rather than compared to others.
To understand their work it’s important to understand their background. Yousuf was a math major in college and because of this, they both have a very mathematical approach to their art. Albert Einstein put it best when he said, “Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas." That is just what is at the heart of Something Like Nostalgia: each track is its own poem, and they complement one another to form a wonderful soundtrack from the olden times.
From the opener “Stacy’s Day Parade” to the closing track, “Clouds are Sleeping,” this album will grab ahold of the audience's attention and keeps us interested the entire way. Every track builds upon the former to create a transcendental journey. Each is made up of layers upon layers, but still manages to sound ethereal. “The Social Evening (In 1992)” starts off with a basic bell chiming and slowly builds up drones and piano to create a unique sound that manages to be fast-paced and relaxing at the same time. “Mr. Boe” begins with ambient audio of people talking in what seems to be a crowded city, accompanied by a slowly creeping drone that explodes as soon as an Asian-sounding harp joins the mix. Placed in the middle of the album, it creates a perfect sidetrack for the entire album.
From first listen it’s hard to imagine, even believe, that this is The Abbasi Brothers' debut effort. This release has given me a new outlook on what I believed was becoming a lost art. Do yourselves a favor and check out this release, it’s undoubtedly one of the year's best.
-Erich Meister