Photos and words by Taylor Shields
New York City indie synth-pop trio Nation of Language took the stage at Brooklyn Steel on Thursday night for their biggest headline show yet – and a hometown one at that. Approaching the release of their upcoming third studio album Strange Disciple, the band has been on an upward rise since debuting music in 2020 during the pandemic. Their sound, rich with synths and drum machines, hearkens back to influences like New Order and Depeche Mode, making their music a sort of love potion, instantly catching the ears of the new wave goth-rockers who still walk among us.
The band was supported by opening act and fellow NYC natives Gustaf, who brought a ton of energy to the room, as lead singer Lydia Gammill appeared to be having the time of her life dancing around to the band’s post-punk sound. Nation of Language took the stage shortly after 9pm, opening with “On Division St”, a track off their 2020 debut album Introduction, Presence. Met with roaring applause from the crowd, frontman Ian Devaney paused between songs to remark, “not bad for a local band…” garnering even more cheers and applause from the audience made up of fellow Brooklyn locals.
The band played a 16-song setlist, which included music from their first two albums, as well as new tracks “Sole Obsession”, “Weak in Your Light”, “Stumbling Still”, and “Too Much Enough”, all from their upcoming release due out in September. Devaney (vocals) and bandmate/partner Aidan Noell often paired up behind Noell’s synth as bassist Alex MacKay set the rhythm. For a three piece band, Nation of Language packs an incredible punch, performing melancholy earworm anthems like “Wounds of Love” and dance tracks like “September Again” that command the entire room, making it impossible not to move. The band closed out their encore with fan favorite, “The Wall & I” which is a song so good it gives you chills and, in the process, transports you back in time about 40 years.
Nation of Language is absolutely a band to watch, as they set out to embark on a world tour this summer and landing back in the states for some more North American dates in the fall. See all of their upcoming tour dates here. Check out their music video for “Sole Obsession” below and keep scrolling to see more photos from the show.
