Nyos

(instrumental rock from Jyväskylä, Finland)

Despite being named after a murderous lake in Cameroon, NYOS' sound has always oozed with vivacity and a sense of upward momentum.

In 2012, guitarist Tom Brooke left behind his old hometown Leeds and moved from Britain to Finland in pursuit of his dream to build his own recording studio. There he met drummer Tuomas Kainulainen who had earned his spurs in the local punk scene.

The connection was instant and magical, and in the first couple of practice sessions the duo wrote the incredible Vltava (2015), a 26-minute long six-part instrumental rock opus that already portrayed a lot of the characteristics of the duo's contemporary sound, a loop-driven blend of math, noise and post-rock.

Ever since, the band has been touring and recording tirelessly, self-releasing three full-length albums and playing over 300 shows with acts like Zeal & Ardor, Esben & The Witch, and The Comet Is Coming.  

Recorded by Brooke in his own Tonehaven Recording Studio, Celebration is the latest testament to the undeniable synergy these musicians have built over the past seven years. With the material largely written before the advent of corona, Celebration is a reflection of life before lockdown, filled to the brim with infectious grooves and glaring melodies. “We tried for something upbeat this time to contrast the times,” explains Tom Brooke about the recording process, which in turn did take place during pandemic life. “We always love it when people can move to our music, so a big focus for the record was to embrace the dance vibe and go for it.”