Out of Moncton, New Brunswick, Nebullama is back to take us on a journey through space and time and Camelidian love with their new album Vol. 1.
At surface level, the concept album tells the story of how its protagonist, the Nebullama, came to the earth to protect it and help its people.
“Looking at it at face value, were introduced to the character, who’s a space-time travelling being, protector of the universe type,” says bandmember Alex Tremblay.
Starting out with the upbeat, rock-n-roll first track “Nebullama,” this character commences its trip through space and time. Roaming among the stars, the Nebullama can see the past and the future and exists to “spread the love.”
“Mightnight Blue” launches the listener into a groovy and psychedelic headspace that creates the feeling of spiralling into nothingness as a means of getting somewhere: the destination. And we meet that destination in “Groovin’.”
Once the Nebullama touches down on Planet Earth, it is thrust into a wild party, finds love, defeats evil and helps protect the planet. But this journey isn’t exactly linear. While some tracks have sounds that place us in the present day, others have sounds that bring us back to the funk of the 1970s, like “The Funk,” and even the rhythm-and-blues of the 1950s, like “Pour un moment,” making the storyline truly transcend both time and space.
Underneath this fantastic imagery, the tracks circle another, more real theme: escapism. The album goes from outlining how it can feel to want to flee responsibilities — whether through partying, getting lost in lust or literally running away — to expressing the journey of battling those inner demons and coming out better for it on the other end.
“At first we wanted to write a concept album in the first-person point of view,” says Tremblay, “but as we were in the finalizing stages of writing the album, we also wanted to get that second interpretation in.
“I know for myself, personally, there were quite a few times that I’d be doing some mind puzzles figuring all of it out.”
The album contains its share expansive grooves for the listener to get lost in, leaving much of the storyline up for interpretation. And although the band explores genres and varied vintage sounds, the album travels on a steady medium of psychedelic- and funk-rock, obviously the sound in which Nebullama feels most at home.
Whether you are looking for a journey through space and time or a deep dive within your own spirit, Vol. 1 can help take you there.