Nero shot to fame during the 2011 mainstreaming of dubstep on the backs of single "Me and You" and a 2013 Grammy win (with
Skrillex) on "Promises." For their sophomore release,
Between II Worlds, they finally make secret weapon Alana Watson a permanent member of the band. This has changed the band's sound and aesthetic, creating a trio that aims to become a legitimate live band.
Fans of
Welcome Reality will be pleased by dub-banger "Dark Skies," standard raver "Into the Night," and the pulsing "Circles" and "Two Minds," both of which sound like
Disclosure's upbeat work with
Jessie Ware. Album highlight "Satisfy" features a metallic riff, sinister groove, and a serious kick, making for a hypnotic dose of sexed-up throb. Watson's vocal work throughout is a vital part of the new vision, and she executes it well with dreamy, melismatic runs and breathless hushes. The remainder of the album, in large part, relies on cinematic atmospherics more akin to film scoring than the dancefloor (much like
M83's work on Oblivion). "Into the Past," "Wasted," and the title track all lend themselves perfectly to potential screen time (with "Into the Past" actually a reworking of a theme written for
Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby). As advertised by the title,
Nero straddle the worlds of performance and background music with atmospherics that are future-club cool. ~ Neil Z. Yeung