Nation of Language by Shervin Laine
Singer Ian Richard Devaney of Nation of Language didn’t know it at the time, but in the origin story that makes the rounds today, his path was set by a childhood car ride with his father listening to “Electricity” by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
From this 1980 track — nostalgic and prescient from the day it arrived, bopping like a chiptune and warning of environmental folly — Devaney would go on to conceptualize a new project. A raw, relatable moment from his youth, deconstructed and imbued with his own ideas about music, became Nation of Language in 2016.
With a following of more than 360,000 Spotify listeners and sold-out shows wherever they go, Nation of Language are modern-day synth-wave stars. But even with Devaney’s wistful ingenuity, success took time. A number of well-received singles showed promise, and then came Covid. Nation of Language released their debut album, Introduction, Presence, in May of 2020, and instead of disappearing into the chaos of the pandemic, it found a following. With people across the planet scared, melancholic and wallowing, Nation of Language offered a comforting familiarity in the literal and figurative dark.
Nation of Language’s lyrics gently touch on androgyny, open love, ruminations on normalcy and explorations of sensuality. The songs reflect on the past while pondering the present and future — extending to listeners a powerful sense of understanding and connection, of feeling seen and heard in life’s vast expanse. Nation of Language are, all at once, the solace of a gentle hug, the warmth of a crush-induced blush, and the longing for what once was or could have been.
From OMD beginnings, Nation of Language are augmenting their style of synth-pop and infusing it with their own darkwave and post-punk influences. They’ve taken an especially hauntingly beautiful turn with their latest album, Strange Disciple. To paraphrase Devaney himself, though Strange Disciple isn’t a dance album he can’t help but move to the music and hopes that listeners will, too.
Nation of Language and Beach Fossils perform 7pm Thursday, April 18 at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. nationoflanguage.com ~ Amanda Moore
