“If you were earth I´d water you like the rain”
The lines come from ‘Pain is a faithful lover’, a dreamy, reflective, track from Naari’s eponymous debut album that just dropped last week. This moody alternate album is centred on Naari’s vocals with traditional instrumentation of drums, bass, guitars, piano and sometimes strings. The focus on her voice really elevates the themes in the album and puts you in a contemplative zone. I also love the music video for ‘Pain is a faithful lover’ which is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s sweet and feminine style with a touch of longing.
Naari is the moniker for Neeraja Narayanasamy, a musician and vocalist born in New Delhi. Growing up, she spent most of her time filling journals and admiring the moving qualities of singing. “I loved the way it took me out of the physical space, into myself in a way that nothing else ever did”, she tells Platform. Neeraja moved to Berlin to further learn music where she got a chance to expand her musical journey and reinvent herself. Her new EP is an exquisite addition to the South Asian Indie world that epitomizes freedom and expression.
The artiste created her melodic album via House of Strength Records with the English producer –– Fink who has previously worked on projects with some legendary names like Amy Winehouse, Bonobo, and John Legend. She met Fink in Berlin where she currently lives. They heard her early acoustic recordings and loved the sound and the attitude of this magnetic new voice in the Indie music scene. The two then combined forces to record and produce the album in his studio also joined by friends from all over the world.
This raw and eclectic album has 9 tracks with diverse tones, some lighter and groovy like ‘There’s no magic’ and some darker with soft shades of grunge like ‘Mr. Hyde’, a personal favourite of mine. All of them share an equally transcendental element that transports you to a deeper place within yourself. Her music draws influences from alternative soul, R&B and Indian classical, all of which you can hear in her tracks. The intimate lyrics and sonorous harmonies create a unique expression of self. Overall, it’s a magical production by a passionate artiste.
Listen to the album here.
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