Novocain

Be prepared to be disturbed
Sun Oct 31 04:51:52 2004

Rated 12 out of 13

With vocals that have hot passion oozing from every word, “Decay” is the perfect backdrop for any tortured soul, showing perfectly how Novocain have that ability to mix rock based axes with a very subtle dark sound that surrounds and completely engulfs you.

Somewhere deep within us this music touches one of our primeval nerve endings- this is exactly what “Ink” does. This number has the same effect a snake has when hypnotizing its prey, it is just so strange. Compared to “Ink”, “Woman” has a completely different slant- electro sounds are interwoven with ethereal vocals that both complement and contrast in one hit; a feast for the senses.

Although enhanced by waves of beautiful backgrounds, “Broken Doll” is vocally more mainstream. But if you leave these factors aside and concentrate on the bass rhythm then that feeling of “there’s something behind you” becomes incredibly strong.

The sudden endings to these tracks are brilliant and each time it leaves you on a point of breathlessness, making the next number a gulp of fresh air. Novocain are innovative in sound, masters of their music and vocally are Debbie Harry meets Enya with the soul of Karen O and the strength of Brody Dalle.

Utterly amazing! - Room Thirteen (review by Emily Warner)

Adrian Klemens and Mario Reyes have the good fortune to split their time between London and Los Angeles, picking up talented collaborators from all points in between, and a few more besides. The music they create sounds as though it was created for the very best of reasons as well: because it should be created. By their own admission they dip into electro, rock, jazz, indie and hip hop, though the results are anything but the mish-mash that suggests. Instead their work is tightly focussed, genre-free languor, the closest comparison being half of Portishead working with half of Mogwai with half of Mazzy Star looking on. It’s delicious. - LOGO Magazine

Novocain are unique that is for sure, musically they find themselves venturing into unfound musical lands, with something that is best described as experimental, with electric synthesised undertones, Novocain refuse to conform to being just like any band, they want to be different and that they are. Just imagine two talented musicians throwing almost every genre of music you could find into a blender and mixing it all together, if you can imagine this, well you have Novocain…if you can’t well you will have to check them out as they truly have a talent that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
Opening with a rocky dark and sophisticated track titled Decay there are vague musical connections to that of Vex Red, yet with a somewhat mysterious feel added to the music, which has the power to subliminally draw you into Novocain’s trance. We see a completely different side to Novocain in the following track, which goes by the name Broken Doll which almost feels that you are in a nightclub, with a more R&B feel to the music, still with the signature synths and programming at the forefront of it all. We then move onto Woman which is possibly the most mysterious track you will find…..EVER. This is more than dark, its at another level, its almost eerie infact I could go as far as saying that there is a sinister feel, however the fourth and final track Ink, revisits the rockier feel, a short blast of musical genius at just under three minutes long, yet pumped to the brim with talent.
What makes this band different however is the fact that they do not use a single vocalist. Novocain have said that they see vocalists like instruments, in the fact that you use different instruments to achieve a different sound, the same goes with vocalists. This latest demo sees three talented singers take to the mic, which gives Novocain another unique feel.
Adrian and Mario are certainly onto something musically here, a kind of music that can capture every emotion and human sense. - Underdogzine

Novocain are new and exciting! As 2003 draws to a close a new era begins for Adrian Klemens, better known on the UK shores as the drummer from the kings of funk and rock Nine Dogs Deep.

The music is experimental, venturing into the unknown, and needless to say showing a more mysterious and secretive side to the band, the music in its own right draws a dark, hidden feel to it created by some cunning work on the synthesizers, giving it somewhat of an R+B meets Vex Red with a slight jazzy edge at times in feel, further spurred on by the vocal work of Robyn Campbell, who in my opinion is the perfect vocalist for the music.

It feels weird to have compared Novocain to Vex Red, as musically these bands are very different, but what can be said is that there is definitely something there that likens the two bands which lays beyond the music but more into the feelings, emotion and vocals put into each song. Robyn Campbell captures a mysterious aura and combines in with real feeling to really capture the moment in each song.

Anyway like the old saying goes “save the best til last” “Simply Complicated” is by far has the most power and feel to it, a real build up, needless to mention the witty title. This whole demo is definitely something to be on the look out for, it’s a whole new sound, a venture into new musical territories, one thing is for sure that Novocain are something to be excited about, after all its not that often that a band bursts onto the scene who combine raw secretive sounds with harmonic dark mysterious vocals, producing what can only be described as a musical phenomenon.
So what does 2004 hold for Novocain? Well, I would say a lot. They are experimenting with a range of vocalists, this can only be good, enhancing the sound and offering the music scene something more than normal. Something tells me you will be hearing a lot more from this new sensation next year, and you heard it here first ;) - Underdogzine