Tag: Astairé

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Natty Reeves Shares Dreamily introspective “Roll In, Roll Out”

Last year was a very busy year for the wildly prolific and acclaimed Brighton-based producer, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Natty Reeves: With his instrumental hip-hop project Astairé, Reeves released the Greener Days EP, a tastefully seamless blend of hip-hop sensibilities with Bossa nova tinged passages that was anchored around dexterous improvisation. Reeves is also a highly sought-after collaborator in his own right, and he has collaborated with the likes of Matt Wilde, Simon Jefferis and Ahbi The Nomad along with a growing a list of others. 

2024 also saw the release of his acclaimed Mist Over Water EP. The EP is a marked sonic shift from Reeves’ beatmaking and production roots. Informed by the songwriting of Ben Watt and James Taylor, as well as the rhythmic language of Brazilian jazz pioneers João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, the EP featured a stripped back raw sound with Spanish-style guitar and Reeves’ dreamy vocal at the center.

Thematically, the material saw the British artist reflecting on the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of looking inward to grow — without putting too much pressure on each moment. “I wanted to make a project that felt honest to who I am, something that represented my thoughts at this stage of my life,” Reeves explained. “Recently I’ve been thinking about second chances, new growth and how fleeting life is – coming back to the sounds and rhythms I love, not trying too hard to make something that people would find impressive, this is a bit more introspective and forgiving of myself. I just hope that listeners enjoy the sounds and find some peace of their own in these songs!”

Reeves’ first single of this year, “Roll In, Roll Out” is a breezy yet soulful tune, featuring delicately strummed acoustic guitar and gently shuffling percussion that serves as a dreamy, Bossa nova-tinged bed for the Brighton-based artist’s introspective, lived-in lyrics and dreamy delivery. While further establishing his critically applauded, acoustic-driven singer/songwriter sound, “Roll In, Roll Out,” is a reminder — both to the listener and the artist — that life shouldn’t always be taken so seriously.

“Life’s changing a lot for me lately, big changes on the way! So, I wanted to write a reminder to myself to not take life too seriously – good and bad days will come and go but everything will be alright in the end,” Reeves explains. “Musically, I’ve enjoyed really pushing into this sound, not sure what to call this style yet, but it feels like I’m going in the right direction. As always though, I hope people can enjoy the music for what it is!”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

2024 has been a busy year for the wildly prolific Brighton-based producer, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Natty Reeves: With his instrumental hip-hop project Astairé, Reeves released the Greener Days EP, a tastefully seamless blend of hip-hop sensibilities with Bossa nova tinged passages that was anchored around dexterous improvisation. Reeves is also a highly sought-after collaborator in his own right, and he has collaborated with the likes of Matt Wilde, Simon Jefferis and Ahbi The Nomad along with a growing a list of others. 

The Brighton-based producer and artist has also been working on his forthcoming EP Mist Over Water. The EP which is slated for a September 25, 2024 release through DeepMatter Records is the first bit of material Reeves has released under his own name in a few years. Informed by the songwriting discipline of Ben Watt and James Taylor, as well as the rhythmic language of Brazilian jazz pioneers João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, Mist Over Water reportedly sees the Reeves crafting a sound that’s stripped back and raw, with Spanish guitar and Reeves’ vocals at the center. Thematically, the material sees the British artist reflecting on the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of looking inward to grow — without putting too much pressure on each moment. 

“I wanted to make a project that felt honest to who I am, something that represented my thoughts at this stage of my life,” Reeves explains. “Recently I’ve been thinking about second chances, new growth and how fleeting life is – coming back to the sounds and rhythms I love, not trying too hard to make something that people would find impressive, this is a bit more introspective and forgiving of myself. I just hope that listeners enjoy the sounds and find some peace of their own in these songs!”

Last month, I wrote about Mist Over Water single “Bloom,” a gently swaying, slightly jazzier take on Bossa nova anchored around Bossa nova/Brazilian percussion, serene and glistening acoustic guitar, Reeves’ dreamily meditative yet upbeat delivery and warm, soulful trumpet from longtime collaborator and friend Jackson Mathod. The song encourages listeners to be open to new opportunities and to boldly take leaps of faith because things will work out how they’re meant to work out — but also because you never want to live a life in which you’ll left wondering “what if?” 

“This was the first song I made for this project, and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the EP,” Reeves says of the single. “I want to give a massive thanks to my good friend Jackson Mathod for playing horns on this – I’ve always admired his playing and he really gave this track a lift!”

Mist Over Water‘s latest single “Why Are You?” continues a run of subtly jazzier Bossa nova tunes anchored around serenely glistening acoustic guitar, shuffling Brazilian percussion, a supple bass line and gently swaying flute lines from Ruta Sipola serving as a lush and dreamy bed for Reeves’ breezily meditative delivery singing lyrics exploring the odd push and pull of manipulation within a relationship.

The song’s narrator describes the growing sense of not seeing his relationship clearly and of feeling played, but not knowing when or how it happened. And at one point, the narrator admits — somewhat bitterly — that he feels as though he’s “being used as a weapon.” The song capture the uneasy push and pull of a seemingly dysfunctional relationship with an uncannily lived-in specificity.