Nearly 50 years on, and with a whole fractal history of transformations stemming from the spirit of punk, the impressions drawn from the playbook of that spirit still resonate today, transcending the echo chamber of polyrhythmic tribalism, funk minimalism, and dissonance. Even though minimalism, polyrhythm, and dissonance are three central vectors in this music, this New York quartet evolves far beyond the mere mimicry of the groove and/or psychosis of Liquid Liquid or This Heat into a mental-physical state that, acknowledging the revolutions thus far—from US Maple to Liars or Battles—is nothing other than the Here and Now. Suspended within an instrumentation—unremarkable at first glance—of drums, guitar, and synthesizer, YHWH Nailgun’s brief songs take Sam Pickard’s imaginative rhythmic pulse as their vital force to anchor guitar spasms, glassy synthesizer textures, bass pulses, and Zack Borzone’s gritty vocals, as if exalting the rebellion of exhaustion. After a couple of EPs on Local Ramp and all the growing buzz that followed—fueled by cathartic, physical performances—they released their debut album on AD93, where they fit right in alongside Moin. Despite the obvious differences, there is common ground in their work, which, by sublimating the rhythm, ignites polyrhythmic movements between dance and fall, subverts the basic principles of rock and punk into a stripped-down, essential form, and finds a way to transform familiar elements into something new and captivating. Not bad at all.
BS

OkA are a Lisbon-based noise punk trio formed by João Moreira on guitar and vocals, Alexandre Bandola on drums and vocals, and João Mendes. The band came together in 2023 from a shared and slightly obsessive need to make something that could exist without a fixed place or clear function. OkA are not interested in fitting in. Their music lives in tension, contradiction and excess, like a soaked bubble full of everything and nothing at the same time.
Influenced by the raw energy of Melt-Banana, the playful unpredictability of Deerhoof, and the radical freedom of Naked City, OkA move between humor and rupture with a rare sense of balance. Their references stretch beyond music into art and performance, echoing the spirit of Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol and Jack Smith, where irony, instinct and provocation coexist without explanation.
Their debut EP ombu was self-produced by the band and mixed and mastered by João Galvão. It is a concise and volatile release that invites the listener to dance with noise, think through distortion and shout without restraint. Beneath the volume and abrasion there is intention, and beneath the chaos there is a strong sense of play.
On stage, OkA fully come into their own. The trio deliver an intense and physical live show that often recalls the explosive force of Lightning Bolt, but with a lighter, more open energy. Drums, guitar and voice blur into a single moving body of sound. Vocals become rhythm, distortion becomes movement, and the room quickly shifts from uncertainty to full attention. Audiences may arrive curious, but rarely leave untouched.
OkA have recently begun presenting ombu live and are steadily building their presence through concerts. A new full-length album is planned for 2027. At the core, they may still look like three people making noise in a rehearsal room. In reality, OkA are shaping something loud, sincere and impossible to ignore.