Adam NaAs - Fading Away
Now and again, musically, taste comes upon an artist where you realise that your faith in good music has just been revitalised, and it’s an opinion talked about within the realms of mediocre music seemingly getting more props that deemed necessary, or worthwhile, and Whispermaze likens this to how some people race cars for a living, opposed to driving to and from work or just on the weekends for their local shopping; a dedicated person with real interest in either choir will be able to learn as the discipline sees fit.
This leads into a point that is Adam Naas; the rare find, the provocation which motivates that love for good music, and more notably the notice of a singing voice and style that demands to be taken notice of, someone of which is comprehensive, refreshing, enlightening and mimicked; the joy of singing in the showing where you know, it’s because of the talent and the joy they give one feels inspired to do so, so much so from dictating how to breathe to where exactly in the mouth your tongue moves to make a consonant or vowel, Adam Naas and his music and more notably his sound clearly has that ability. Some voices sweep away everything in their path, sending shivers up the spine and aggravating the appreciations, and at only 24 his soul-man voice is one such phenomenon. Adam Naas is an artist who bares his soul simply, discreetly and fearlessly, and taking note of his talents you quickly notice each line of his lyrics delves deeply into angst-ridden and passionate moods, whist at the same time, effortlessly resonating a capacity for an authentic music morality. Writing his music himself, Adam Naas echoes his personal experiences into universal emotions, and even though, within the industry he is regarded as a new artist, his songs defined his art as if he’s been around for a lot longer than a while. Personal, intimate, astonishingly sincere are the fundamentals of his style, while the Parisian bears little resemblance to the formulaic ‘doomed artist’.
More than anybody, he is amused by the idea. “For a while, I thought of calling myself Corbeau (Crow),” he explains ironically. In fact, a black eagle would be a far better symbol as just a moment spent watching the video of Fading Away or his live performances proves. From the very first notes of ‘Fade Away’ his style speaks to the listener, and you do hear the tones, you get lost in his deliverance and the sign of an accomplished artist is how one loses themselves in the message he sings, something of which he does so well. Using the sounds of soul, folk, pop and indie rock, those genres fill him with energy as he makes each one his own, down to his gospel invocation his deep, sensual voice caresses the skin, his notes generously plunge a pleasing feeling deep into the mind; of which memory will not forget. It’s been said that his ‘world is a black hole of sensations and sentiments, as attractive as they are disturbing’, Whispermaze says his songs elaborate what spoken words cannot, they emphasise the contradictory tale that is life and the happenings between, and his love affair with music, and the messages his music conveys has never been predestined. “I didn’t start singing before I could walk,” he smiles, “and there were no musicians in my family. But I was raised on Nina Simone – my mother listened to her a lot – and the music my elder brother played.” Adam Naas was a great fan of Sister Act II and its young singer Lauryn Hill – in fact, he grew up with her cult album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He also enjoyed singing backing vocals to Destiny’s Child tracks. And as a self-taught artist, he’s always felt the music before he analysed it. In essence, music has become his means of communication and self-expression, and now; the curious young man freely embraces his lucid romanticism, the shy boy has become who he knew what he would become, projecting a charm and appeal of which Whsipermaze will be paying close attention to.
Artist: Adam Naas EP: Self-Titled Label: Virgin/Mercury