Nation of Language

Nation of Language emerged from Ian Devaney’s fascination with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s earliest recordings, yielding an icy strain of synth pop colored by post-punk. Steering the project into more polished yet introspective territory with his collaborators, Devaney delivered the group’s first full-length, Introduction, Presence, in 2020. Subsequent releases, A Way Forward in the following year and Strange Disciple in 2023, incorporated earlier Krautrock and experimental-electronic touches, the latter expanding the sonic palette with greater use of live instrumentation.

The project’s roots reach back to 2013, when the label release of a second album by Devaney’s former high-school band the Static Jacks collapsed, returning him to his parents’ home in New Jersey. During a car ride his father played OMD’s “Electricity,” a track Devaney recognized from childhood yet had not encountered since. The song prompted him to attempt something comparable purely as an exercise, resulting in “Laudanum,” which appeared on Nation of Language’s self-titled debut EP in 2015.

Settled in Brooklyn, Devaney kept writing and issuing material over the next several years for the project’s shifting personnel. Among these tracks were 2016’s “What Does the Normal Man Feel?” and 2017’s “Indignities,” both produced by Abe Seiferth (Phonograph, Yeasayer). The latter featured Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti, who also performed as bassist on tour with Nation of Language for the second half of 2017. Other participants during this span included Michael Sui-Poi and Andrew Santora, both formerly of the Static Jacks, and Devaney’s then-fiancée Aidan Noell on synths. Following a tour supporting the Wombats, the band released “Reality” in mid-2018 and turned to preparing a full-length debut.

The trio of Devaney, Noell, and Sui-Poi unveiled the Seiferth-produced Introduction, Presence in May 2020. Positive reception led to the group’s first headlining tour in the months before the November 2021 arrival of a follow-up that tilted toward experimental 1970s influences. Issued by PIAS and produced partly by Seiferth and partly by Nick Millhiser of Holy Ghost!, A Way Forward featured Alex MacKay in place of Sui-Poi. Millhiser again produced Strange Disciple, recorded at his East Williamsburg studio and released on PIAS in September 2023. Informed by touring, the album added live drums and guitar while preserving the band’s gritty character.