Natty - Cold Town
24 year old London based singer-songwriter Natty, has made waves on the festival circuit this summer with his summery, laid-back grooves. Having cut his musical teeth as a sound engineer, Natty collaborated with Razorlight and was responsible for promoting the acclaimed Kentish Town clubnight ‘Vibes and Pressure’ before landing support slots with some of the pick of London’s indie glitterati including Kate Nash. This led to a frantic bidding war amongst record labels for a man who was inevitably dubbed by lazy journalists as the “new Bob Marley”. Whilst it is obvious that Marley is a substantial influence on Natty (indeed Marley’s 1974 album ‘Natty Dread’ provided the inspiration for the artist’s name); this is a man whose influences and musical outlook are so divergent, that they make light of obvious stereotyping as a reggae-lite singer songwriter. ‘Cold Town’ is a shining example of Natty’s ability to produce what Bobby Gillespie may refer to as a “sugar-coated bullet”. On the surface, ‘Cold Town’ is light, tuneful and made for daytime radio. Yet, scratch beneath the surface and this is a track indicative of a politically aware songwriter with a keen eye for social commentary, demonstrating a lyrical sharpness whilst retaining an infectious reggae-tinged vibe. To produce material that is both socially relevant and commercially viable is no mean feat and shows that he is a talent in the making, ‘Cold Town’ should attract many fans to the accompanying album and see Natty’s star continue to rise.