BE N!CE’s debut EP WHERE AM I? opens with ‘GET A JOB’ a track reminiscent of Jack of Jill’s ‘When I Am Queen’. Though musically this is a little faster while carrying a greater weight; the latter in much part thanks to the powerful depth of the production.

Lyrically it’s a takedown of the United States delivered by a slightly abstract route and feeling somewhat poetic for it; while the vibe—both vocally and musically—is laidback, almost a nonchalant couldn’t-care-less that combines with the power of sound and precision playing to create an utterly contemptuous sneer for the subject matter.

The EP is underpinned with an alternative-metal feel that affords WHERE AM I? the freedom to roam the genre spectrum. ‘BEDTIME’ has a funky Red Hot Chilli Peppers vibe that puts it in the realms of indie and post-punk the likes of English Teacher; there’s a couple of super cool stoner riffs popping up for good measure too!

On the subject of not getting enough sleep, the lyrics could be taken a couple of ways: a simple lack of self-discipline to hit the sack on time, which leaves it feeling light; to a potentially more sinister scenario of being kept awake by a third party.

‘ONE BAD APPLE’ instantly reminds of My Ruin’s ‘Stick it to Me’ and frequently pulls me back to that at points throughout the track; though such is BE N!CE’s range, once beyond the opening it just as equally steps into the ballpark of Lambrini Girls.

A pulsating and relentless sonic energy on the subject of sexual assault, things are without doubt deadly serious here; it frequently making for uneasy listening such is the sincerity found in the vocals, the chorus at points frankly chilling. That which isn’t easy to hear being heard is the point here, and it’s made extremely well.

There’s also a sublimely sorrowful solo that pops out of nowhere only to fit right in; apart from its adding ice to the chill, it’s a perfect example of how BE N!CE’s distinct personality manifests across the EP.

‘BLOW (paranoia, baby)’: if you’re a fan of Hole and Blondie (R.I.P. Clem Burke) this song will blow your mind; close your eyes and imagine Debbie Harry singing it and the image will instantly fit! While impossible not to want to move to somehow, the subject is a candidly vulnerable tale of high-anxiety that singer Pol deserves some serious applause for.

‘WITCH HUNT’ is the track that brings out the strongest sounds-like for me; if I could only pick one reference for BE N!CE it would hands down be SugarComa (a band it should be said that’s named after a Hole song). The overall sound is fast-paced, dynamic soaring-and-plunging movement with a fierce edge that still retains serious grunge credentials via plenty of powerful softer moments.

Where BE N!CE differs isn’t simply all the neat little diversions into other genres, it’s also in the elevation of all that has gone before; a case of taking a genre and seeing how far it can be stretched over simply trying to fit within it.

This too is represented in the lyrics. A no-constraints-I’m-going-to-talk-about-what matters-to-me-how-I want-to approach adds a fresh zeal to proceedings thanks to the unique personality found in that process; this in turn ensures an energy blazes through the veins of every track to leave no doubt BE N!CE is a band that very much needs to be seen in a live setting too.

A touch of Johnny Marr opens ‘CAMBRIDGE’ and there the similarity in sound ends; though the lyrics—a tale of topping oneself in front of work colleagues, possibly via Teams—wouldn’t look out of place if found in The Smiths’ songbook. A deliciously dramatic rant that musically towers with brilliant awareness for any over-zealous self-pitying that might be going on.

If the penultimate track best sums up BE N!CE’s overall sound, then this the last does likewise for the personality; in the process reminding that really it’s a bit of a folly trying to pin the band down, for as soon as one tries it’s off onto something new, so much so that perhaps the thing that strikes most once at the end of the EP is it being only six tracks long; for such is the variation of content it feels like so much more.

WHERE AM I? was produced at Big Fig Studio by Jake Stanton and mastered by Arran Dutt (who both did an incredible job!).

BE N!CE:

Pol Mills: vocals
Emily Harris: bass
Alex McIntosh: drums
Brett Lee: guitar

BE N!CE Linktree 

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