Madison, Wisconsin trio Novagolde get to the thick of it right away on new track “Jail”, its beginning fading into a suave and catchy vein of rock alongside vocals that are fondly reminiscent of Michael Stipe in tone. More traditional rock sounds converge with flourishes of bouncy synths, maintaining a fascinating tonal presence, especially as the vocals successfully wade through this electronic/rock fusion in the second half. Their classification of “gritty space rock … easy on the ears and challenging to the mind,” is an apt one, with the track building in intricacy and intensity as it progresses. I look forward to more from Novagolde in the future, for sure.
