Nao has developed into a musical enigma; it’s difficult to pin her down as she engages with both experimental and traditional forms of contemporary pop and RnB. She burst onto the scene from seemingly nowhere with her debut EP So Good in 2014. She followed this up in 2015 with the excellent EP February 15 – an EP which strode the line between experimental and traditional RnB. It was an interesting release that placed Nao in the favourable junction between pop and experimental appeal. The spacious, experimental sound – particularly her use of vocal effects – reminded me of James Blake, Jai Paul and FKA twigs; similarities between Nao and these contemporary pop icons hinted at the endless possibilities Nao had following the release of her debut EP.
An album release, then, was almost inevitable. The announcement of her debut LP, For All We Know, has whetted the appetites of bedroom-pop experimenters and Justin Timberlake fans alike. It is shaping up to be an important release not just for Nao, but also the UK pop/RnB scene as a whole.
Release Date
Nao’s debut LP is set to be released on 29th July 2016 and it’ll be released on LP, CD and digital formats. The album will be dropping on Nao’s own record label Little Tokyo Recordings. The LP will be Nao’s debut album following up on her 2015 EP February 15.
Singles
There’s been three singles shown in running up to the release of For All We Know, each illustrating the variation Nao possesses sonically within the confines of contemporary pop and RnB. The album announcement was paired with lead single Girlfriend. The track contains a very spacious rhythm section that allows Nao to illustrate her vocal range and, once again, her use of vocal effects is used expertly. The hook is very simple, but the use of a pause before Nao sings the hook ‘If I was your girlfriend’ gives the track an endearing mid-90s RnB vibe. Nao also flirts with the use of a distinct blues guitar note in the middle of the track which makes a welcome change to her usual electronic landscape.
Her second single, Fool To Love, contains an infectious repeating hook throughout the song of ‘I was a fool to love’; Nao’s use of simple hooks juxtaposed with a more experimental and interesting musical background is one of her greatest strengths. The looping melody reminds me of James Blake’s Put That Away And Talk To Me; it seems as though Nao is operating in the same sonic terrain as contemporary experimental pop artists. The whole vibe of the song sounds like something AlunaGeorge could produce, but with Nao’s distinct vocals and ear for variety.
Finally, hit single Bad Blood dropped back in 2015, but at the time there was no knowledge whether this would be on her album. Luckily, this commercial hit will be on her debut album, and for good reason. In many ways it is the quintessential Nao track, it portrays her strengths in both production choice and vocals. The use of synths and vocal modulations are balanced really well on the track; it is easy to fall into the trap of over-using vocal effects with contemporary RnB, but Nao manages to avoid this.
First Impressions
Overall, it looks as if Nao is delving further into her chosen sound and aesthetic. The singles are excellent pop songs and still allow a space for Nao to experiment; she has that uncanny ability to write classic RnB songs in a different way. However, it is a little disappointing that Nao doesn’t seem to be experimenting with a more diverse palette of sounds. It all sounds very much the same to what she has done already, but this may not necessarily be a bad thing. There is definitely room for her sound to develop, so change isn’t really necessary yet.
Tracklist
- Intro (Like Velvet)
- Get To Know Ya
- Inhale Exhale
- Voice Memo 161
- Happy
- Voice Memo 162
- Adore You (ft. Abhi Dijon)
- In The Morning
- Trophy (ft. A. K. Paul)
- Bad Blood
- DYWM
- We Don’t Give A
- Give Me A Little
- Fool To Love
- Voice Memo 4 (Say Yes)
- Blue Wine
- Girlfriend
- Feels Like (Perfume)
