Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Novacain – Shine On Me (2021)

Influenced by artists as diverse as Blondie, Kasabian, The Beatles and Daft Punk, it is no wonder Novacain has a unique sound. Living in a society where standing out is everything, the foursome is definitely making their mark, but who are they? We came across Novacain last year when we reviewed their single ‘Keep It Casual’ (read our review here), but since then they have released some genre-defying tracks including the latest ‘Shine On Me’.



Receiving critical acclaim from Words For Music, Love Music Love Life and Mix It All Up, Novacain is capturing the hearts of people across the globe…and they continue to do so with ‘Shine On Me’. Following their funk-influenced ‘Wasting Time’, ‘Shine On Me’ has a more jangle-pop meets indie-rock style. It’s true, the band is genre-defying but categorising seems to help people decipher the sound before listening. The thing is, it is impossible to adequately describe the boundary-breaking band SO you should hit the play button.

‘Shine On Me’ is upbeat, jovial and buoyant capturing the essence of summer in approximately three minutes. A melding of dynamic guitars and pounding drums places you in a good mood, but the addition of Daniel McTaggart’s rich vocals slathers a layer of happiness atop the melody. No, McTaggart’s voice does not distract from the toe-tapping instrumentation but rather harmonically gels with it resulting in a cheerful ambience.

Not a poignant song with melancholic introspection, ‘Shine On Me’ is a refreshing spark in a mundane soundscape. Touching on complex concepts like self-discovery, empowerment and the significance of opportunistic change, Novacain showcases their natural talent in creating sonic representations of…stuff. Stuff that makes you laugh and grin but still acknowledges the grittiness of reality.

Cheeky and anthemic, this bright, lighthearted single makes all the dark clouds go away. I really like Novacain but ‘Shine On Me’ has pushed them to the top of my favourites for this year!

For more from Novacain check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.

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