Narda: welcome punk 2.0

By Rome Jorge

DISCO punk revival is all the rage, but most dudes just don’t get it. They rip-off the riffs, ape the fashion and steal the sound. It’s like a theme park jingle for them; welcome to New Wave Land with faux 1980’s sound replete with retro sound synthesizers, drone guitars, eyeliner and other cosmetic effects. Few capture the fierce vitality of a culture rebelling against the self-indulgent heavy metal culture and the failed hippie idealism of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with do-it-yourself aesthetics and sonic violence. Instead of world peace and pot on a field of flowers, they wanted anarchy and coke on the dance floor. That was their reality. Fewer still capture with maturity and insight the pain of fleeting relationships in a nihilistic and hedonist world of bright nights and dark deeds. That was their life.

Narda, with their album Discotillion, distills the essence of those heady days and serves it to us straight in a shot glass. They got it right. And they got it tight. What they got isn’t a put-on. They’ve jettisoned the sweet pop sound of past efforts. This is punk 2.0 for 2007.

Their lyrics delve into the vivid details of relationships on the edge. The sophisticated ear—those schooled both by post punk music history and a life lived in the Bohemian fray—will know this is potent stuff.

Gusto kitang sampalin dahil lagi kang nambibitin. . .
Gusto kitang halikan kahit ako’y iyong tinatanggihan. . .
Kay labo mo

-“Kay Lab” by Narda

Bago tayo magtaksilan
Bago tayo magsakitan
Isang daang taon

-“100 Taon” by Narda

And their edgy sound is just as evocative as their words. Shrill distortions and killer vocals paint a haunting aural landscape. With Katwo Librando on vocals, Ryan Villena on drums, synthesizers and keyboards and Tani Santos on guitar, the present is an edgy sound where the only discernable bass is a baritone chorus. The medium is the message.

With Discotillion, the band admirably sought to make a true thematic album with a complete aural experience instead of a bunch of radio-friendly hits with tried and tested hooks. Kudos.

Discotillion marks new level of maturity for the band. It popped its cherries and sings about the hangover and the heartache the morning after. Finally, punk music for grown-ups in the 21st century is here.