Nice Boat prove just how much can be done with very little on ‘Defending Space’, the second single from forthcoming debut album I DON’T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH. One of the duo’s most vulnerable songs, it reflects on recognising when your presence in a situation may be doing more harm than good, even when that was never the intention.
A melodic, driving bassline forms the backbone of the track, carrying an arrangement so minimal that little else is needed. There’s a spacey quality reminiscent of Tubeway Army alongside hints of post-punk and even classic rock, while Dylan Silver’s conversational vocal sits somewhere between detachment and defiance, treated with a distinctly retro edge. A sparse beat eventually slips into the mix, providing just enough movement before ‘Defending Space’ comes to a surprisingly abrupt end.
That stripped-back approach extends to the wonderfully DIY video, which sends Silver and Mike Thrasher wandering through outer space courtesy of an unapologetic green screen. Thrasher plays the all-important bass against cosmic backdrops as lyrics appear across the screen, embracing the homemade spirit behind a record created entirely in the duo’s garages. Rough around the edges and all the better for it, ‘Defending Space’ lets simplicity do the heavy lifting.
