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Music

Listen to Nathan Ma’s Intimate Bedroom Pop Featuring 40 Of His Closest Friends

We’re guessing the Omaha songwriter has a big bedroom.

​We last heard from Nathan Ma when his hardcore punk band Bib released a 7-inch of raging belligerence. When listening on headphones is was music that made our pulse beat faster when we were out walking the dogs. So when we received a new tape from the Omaha musician we were expecting more dog dragging hate surge.

But Lonesome Heartland, the ten-song cassette he is about to release is classic lo-fi, heart on sleeve pop.

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Ma explains that like the best busted pop it came from a broken relationship.

"I began writing Lonesome Heartland after the end of a long term relationship. I was struggling with finding a proactive way to deal with my frustrations and i began recording a few songs on random pieces of junk in my bedroom."

But whereas a record of such intimacy usually comes from long nights alone, Ma employed over 40 friends and collaborators from across Nebraska and the US to help out. "I've always dreamed of being able to record a huge project with as many people as possible. I have this obsession with P*o*P music and I really wanted to record an honest bedroom pop album. I used multiple field recorders and other various tape recorders to really capture every creak and squeak my bedroom had to offer."

Released on Unread Tapes,​ the long running label known for releasing primarily cassette tapes, and for some time operated out of Omaha, Lonesome Heartland features tracks such as "She Moved to L.A.", "Still Lonely" and "Jenny Doesn't Love" is the musical equivalent of a Saturday night alone on the sofa with half a bottle of Merlot and a dead phone.

'Lonesome Heartland' is available Oct 25 on Unread records.