Pinning down the sound and vision behind London-based duo Nova Twins isn’t for the simple mind. You might first consider them the musical (and fashion) nods to the UK’s early 1970s glam rock. Singer-guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South have mastered the art of eccentric colors, fabrics, and patterns meshed with bold makeup and even bolder jewelry. But that connection isn’t quite linear. Much of their discography is approved for brash and unapologetic head-banging but fuses elements of bass-dominant punk, funk, and grime—a style of electronic dance music developed in the UK that blends hip-hop and dancehall elements. Love and South, shaped by their own blended heritages and cross-genre influences, aren’t confining themselves to a single sound. They’re looking for noise and commotion that redefines alternative rock altogether. And their motion has caught waves from legends. Their success over the years has also caught the eye of other musicians whose careers have been shaped by glam-rock fashion, such as Elton John. “These girls rock my world,” the pianist said ahead of last year’s Glastonbury Festival. But the crux in defining the artistry and direction Nova Twins take in their music is that it’s up to them—not you—to define. On one of their earliest singles, “Thelma and Louise,” they make assertions rather than asking questions, with lyrics like “Tell them we want it now,” made in bold declarations delivered in gritty screams and growls. They’ve told the press to not expect flowery love songs. They’ve shunned those that box them in with R&B contemporaries. Don’t try to confine them; but you can watch them bend genres and sounds and expand into what’s new. Nova Twins play at 7 p.m. on May 14 at Songbyrd. songbyrddc.com. $20-$25. —Heidi Perez-Moreno
Nova Twins, May 14
