Natty Reeves returns with new single 'Bloom', featuring trumpeter Jackson Mathod
It’s been a couple of years since we last heard new music from Brighton-based songwriter and producer Natty Reeves. As will become evident upon listening to new single ‘Bloom’, it’s been time well spent crafting a distinctive sound shifting away from hip-hop, and deeper into the world of Brazilian music.
Natty encourages listeners to look out for new opportunities, and not be afraid to take a leap of faith. Working with trumpet player and serial collaborator Jackson Mathod, he creates a gentle atmosphere, blending rhythmic percussion with serene guitars and warm horn layers. He shares:
“This was the first song I made for this project, and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the EP. 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!”
Informed in equal parts by the songwriting discipline of artists including Ben Watt and James Taylor, as well as the deep harmonic and rhythmic language of Brazilian jazz pioneers João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, Natty’s forthcoming ‘Mist Over Water’ EP sees him craft a sound that is distinctly his own. Stripped back and raw, the music places Spanish guitar and Natty’s vocals front-and-centre for a free-flowing, tender journey, during which he reflects on the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of looking inwards 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. 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!”
As well as working on ‘Mist Over Water’, Natty has been hard at work on other projects. Released earlier this year under his instrumental hip-hop alias Astairé, his ‘Greener Days’ EP is a tasteful blend of hip-hop sensibilities with bossa-nova-tinged passages and uplifting improvisatory flavours. A prolific writer and sought-after collaborator in his own right, he’s also collaborated with the likes of Matt Wilde, Simon Jefferis and Abhi The Nomad.
