Nite Fields – A Voyeur Makes No Mark – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Five years ago Australian band Nite Fields appeared seemingly from nowhere with a wonderful debut album, Depersonalisation.  Since then their sound has changed somewhat.  Chris Campion’s jangly guitar has been sidelined to a degree, in favour of mechanised darkwave-style synths.  A repetitive synth and drum machine pattern opens Descent.  It’s nearly a full minute and a half before Danny Venzin’s robotic, spooked-out vocals enter the mix.  He conveys a multitude of cool detachment by saying very little using a small vocal range, repeating lyrics like “on my descent to you”, “I’ve got you in disguise”.  Not Your Time and Chase It pick up the pace considerably, channelling a kind of ‘dark 80s disco’ track.  The latter of these is particularly effective, with a New Order style rhythm running through it, percussion in all the ‘right’ places and Venzin sulking along agreeably.

A rather odd synth sound introduces the goth-sounding Invitation, and they keep their goth very much ‘on’ for Voyeur.  Penultimate track Fiction Eyes sits there and broods very effectively for four and a half minutes.  The album ends with something of a whimper with the growling drum machine and spoken word of Do It In Reverse.

It’s definitely one for moodier moments.  An agreeable way to have a sulk.

Track List:

1. Descent
2. Not Your Time
3. Chase It
4. Invitation
5. Voyeur
6. Take My Side
7. Fiction Eyes
8. Do It In Reverse

Not Your Time