ALBUM REVIEW: Naytronix – ‘Mister Divine’

It’s not easy being the bassist. You’re so often left feeling out shined. Not because you shine any less bright than the rest of the band, of course, but because they’re all so busy being flash. It’s distracting. Well, it’s either that or they put some kind of lampshade on you, redirecting your light down. Allowing them to glow outward and up. Singers, eh? Guitarists, eh? Drummers, eh?

It’s daft really. Everyone knows that few things hit you like good bass. Organic. Synthetic. Otherwise. However, here you are, being consistently relegated to route-note rumbling. It’s surprising more bass players don’t branch out into solo projects, but here we have one such example. Naytronix, the solo project of one Nate Brenner, bassist.

Though, it’s not like Brenner doesn’t get to play footloose and fancy free during his day job as bassist for the marvellously manic Merrill Garbus’ tUnE-yArDs, but, that’s not to say Brenner’s bright lights aren’t being lampshaded somewhat either. He’s quite the multi-instrumentalist and producer too. And he sings.

And so, thus and therefore, we have Naytronix, Brenner’s unlampshading. On his debut, Dirty Glow, Brenner could be found channelling and chop-shopping a little old-school house, a little nu-school disco, a bit of lo-fi electro, and some pyschedelic sweeteners. With that being said, we arrive at Mister Divine. Now, one wouldn’t like to suggest Mr Brenner is referring to himself as that titular mister, but that being said, there was a loose concept around Dirty Glow suggesting it was for post-apocalyptic dance revolutions, so perhaps he’s the messiah. If not, he’s at least a very naughty boy with a bag full of tricks and tunes.

Speaking of the tunes, which is what we’re here for, apocalypse or no apocalypse, second coming or no coming, Mister Divine finds Naytronix reigning in those dancier inclinations to instead let the freak flag fly, with the focus being on Brenner’s more psychedelic leanings. However, this isn’t your garden variety Technicolor wig out psychedelia, but a far more stripped back and subdued affair with muted colours throughout. Albeit with a night time neon glow.

Opening, and titular, track ‘Mister Divine’ goes about setting the mood, with ambient space alongside mellow guitar and bass opening the doors for the spaceship landing. Soon, fluttering samples and airy synths take the lead with Brenner’s laidback vocals in tow. The vibe is fuzzy, the atmosphere chilled, and the mood is definitely mellow. Second track ‘Starting Over’ brings back some of that funk and strut by way of a groove ridden beat and some squelch, but simultaneously it also explores the psychedelic cloud further still into sleepy Flaming Lips territory. Synths as dreamy strings and drawn out laced melodies are on the menu.

This dazed and dreamy quality is probably the strongest under-and-over-current across the album; it’s a drifter of no particular direction, musing and amusing itself with each passing thought. It’s kind of the sound of being a passenger in a car, staring out the window, watching the world go by while wandering between wonderings inside your head. The scenery changes, but the journey remains the same. Whether Mister Divine is flaring up both P and G funk with an Eastern twist (‘Dream’), indie pop does disco (‘I Don’t Remember’), or rhythm ruminations (‘The Future’ and ‘Shadow’), it always bears the same sense of being little bit lost but altogether quite happy with that fact.

The production keeps things lo-fi, and the compositions vary from haphazardly cluttered to stripped spacious, which may be off putting for some but on the whole works well with the incidental and accidental air to proceedings. The album feels free, but perhaps a little purposeless, with some songs not really lasting beyond the listening of them. However, when in that listen, there is a consistently strong grasp of groove and a very in the moment mood, that it’s hard not to move too.