NoExit – Wander Lush (2020)
NoExit is a duo made up of Nollaig Brennan (multi-instrumentalist) and Benjamin Delannoy (keyboards). The two met in New Zealand when Brennan was travelling and got some work in a hostel where he met Delannoy. The two exchanged knowledge and jams as they drove around the country. Since then, Delannoy found himself in Barcelona while Brennan is home in Ireland, but they still keep the tunes flowing.
Wander Lush is the pair’s first EP and was written over the last six years during Brennan’s travels of the world. The theme of the EP is to embrace variety with open arms. To achieve this they have varied takes on modern rock and roll.
The first track of the EP is ‘Fuelin’ Fires’ that hooks you with an interesting opening. This leads into the smooth vocals and an exciting mixture of slow rock and faster paces. Listening to the lyrics, the song has a very motivational message waiting for you to grasp.
‘Sort It Out’ has a different tone to it with more reverbs and echoes to the opening. The vocal performance and arrangement are very engaging as you never quite know what is going to happen. There is a great beat to this track that keeps you on the hook.
‘On The Hop’ has a light-hearted and fun opening. The song has a more upbeat melody to it and a great story in the lyrics. It is a wonderful old cowboy run story complete with twanging guitar. The vocal performance is easy to listen to and you might find yourself singing along.
‘Burn The Zest’ is the last track with a synth opening that explodes into the vocals. This song is not as pleasant as the melody will have you believe and is about seeing good people going to waste because of low self-esteem, social expectations and a lack of drive. While the story of this track is heavy, it is easy to listen to and includes a chorus that is ridiculously catchy.
NoExit takes on different forms of modern rock and roll in the conceptual masterpiece that is Wander Lush. Each track in the EP is different and you never know what sound you are going to get. Lyrically, they are all captivating with some being more hopeful than others.
Find out more about NoExit on their website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
