New Audio: Nation of Language Shares Tom Sharkett Rework of “Inept Apollo”

Last year was a big year for acclaimed Brooklyn-based synth pop trio and JOVM mainstays Nation of Language. The trio — Ian Richard Devaney (vocals, guitar), Aidan Noell (synths) and Alex MacKay (bass) — signed with Sub Pop Records, who released their Nick Milhiser produced and mixed fourth album, Dance Called Memory, continuing an ongoing collaboration that included 2023’s Strange Disciple.“What’s so great about Nick is his ability to make us feel like we don’t need to do what might be expected of us,” says Nation of Language’s Aidan Noell.  

Sonically, the album is imbued with a subtly shifted palette: On some tracks percussion is smashed through a synthesizer as a nod to early-2000s electronic music. Chopped-up drum break samples also make appearances.

But ultimately, for the trio, the hope was to weave raw vulnerability and humanity into a synth-heavy album. “There is a dichotomy between the Kraftwerk school of thought and the Brian Eno school of thought, each of which I’ve been drawn to at different points. I’ve read about how Kraftwerk wanted to remove all of the humanity from their music, but Eno often spoke about wanting to make synthesized music that felt distinctly human,” Nation of Language’s Ian Richard Devaney says. “As much as Kraftwerk is a sonically foundational influence, with this record I leaned much more towards the Eno school of thought. In this era quickly being defined by the rise of AI supplanting human creators, I’m focusing more on the human condition, and I need the underlying music to support that… Instead of hopelessness, I want to leave the listener with a feeling of us really seeing one another, that our individual struggles can actually unite us in empathy.”

The album features “Inept Apollo,” which continues a remarkable run of nostalgia-inducing 80s New Wave-inspired material that showcases the trio’s unerring knack for crafting slickly produced bops, anchored around earnest lyricism and songwriting.

Recently the JOVM mainstays shared Tom Sharkett‘s bold rework of “Inept Apollo.” Sharkett’s rework retains Devaney’s yearning vocal and some of the original’s New Wave/synth pop-inspired feel but noticeably increases the BPM and adds a strutting disco-like bass line. The result is a something that’s earnest, achingly yearning and yet even more dance floor friendly. It’s one-part Madchester-scene, one-part NYC dance club.

“We’re big fans of WH Lung, as well as Tom’s excellent recent LCD Soundsystem rework, so we were super excited when he reached out saying he wanted to take a crack at a new mix of ‘Inept Apollo,'” Devaney says. ” Our initial enthusiasm only grew when we received the end product a couple months later and were able to test it out in a club environment a few times. Can confidently report it sounds fantastic in a loud and crowded room. Here’s hoping it sees its way to a few dance floors in 2026.”
 
“I had an affinity with Nation of Language as soon as I heard their music,” Tom Sharkett says. “It felt like it came from the same place as the music I was making myself and with W. H. Lung, and the more of their music I heard, the more I felt it. It was hard initially to find a way in with remixing ‘Inept Apollo,’ as I loved the original so much. I knew I wanted to nod to the connection between NYC and Manchester started by the artists and DJs I feel we both love, without even having to name check them. It had to be wonky, and it had to be loose and lively. Hope you enjoy!”

Along with the Tom Sharkett remix, the JOVM mainstays announced 2026 international headlining, festival and opening dates. Check out the tour dates below.

2026 Tour Dates
Sun. Feb. 15 – Monterrey, MX – Foro Tims
Tue. Feb. 17 – Guadalajara, MX – C3 Rooftop
Thu. Feb. 19 – Mexico City, MX – Foro Indie Rocks! – Sala
Tue. Mar. 31 – Tokyo, JP – Space Odd
Thu. Jun. 11 – Porto, PT – Primavera Sound Porto Parque Da Cidade
Fri. Jun. 12 – Stuttgart, DE – AboutPop Festival
Sat. Jun. 13 – Hilvarenbeek, NL – Best Kept Secret Festival
Thu. Jun. 18 – Lucerne, CH – B-Sides Festival
Sun. Jun. 21 – Athens, GR – Release Athens x SNF Nostos Festival
Sat. Jun. 27 – Camaiore, IT – La Prima Estate Festival
Fri. Jul. 24 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theatre #
Sat. Jul. 25 – Bentonville, AR – The Momentary #
Sun. Jul. 26 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove #
Wed. Jul. 29 – Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater #
Fri. Jul. 31 –  Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre #
Sun. Aug. 02 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre #
Mon. Aug. 03 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre #
Tue. Aug. 04 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park #
Thu. Aug. 27 – Sat. Aug. 29 – Málaga, ES – Canela Party
 
# supporting Death Cab for Cutie

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