In an era where so many indie musicians of Nilüfer Yanya’s stature are pivoting to ’80s synthpop, “Painless” is decidedly a guitar-driven rock record. From shimmering arpeggios to twitchy math rock to driving chords, “Painless” is like a patchwork quilt of modern indie songs that proudly put the guitar in the forefront. It reminds me at various points of a handful of mid/late 2000s UK art rock records — anything from Bloc Party to Klaxons to In Rainbows — but really Nilüfer has developed a style of her own, one that you can’t really pigeonhole or accurately compare to anyone in particular. And it’s not just that she’s an inventive guitarist; she’s also an increasingly great singer and she fills this album with melodies that hit right away and keep you coming back for more. It feels smaller and less pop-friendly than her debut, and the decision to make something that sounds a little more insular has resulted in an even better record.
Nilüfer Yanya runs head first into the depths of emotional vulnerability on her anticipated sophomore record “Painless“. Recorded between a basement studio in Stoke Newington and Riverfish Music in Penzance, the record is a more sonically direct effort, narrowing her previously broad palette to a handful of robust ideas. Yanya’s debut album “Miss Universe” (2019) earned a Best New Music tag from Pitchfork and saw support tours with Sharon Van Etten, Mitski and The XX.
I’ve listened to “L/R” obsessively since I bought this record. It’s ruined me for anything else.
“Painless” Released March 4th, 2022
The Fat Angel Sings 