Brooklyn R&B singer-songwriter Nathaniel the Great celebrates his birthday by dropping his new project Aquarius—a 17 track body of work that seamlessly blends R&B, soul, and hip-hop as a showcase of the singer's NY roots and eclectic music taste. Nathaniel handles most of the performances on this record, except for a feature from legendary soul singer Musiq Soulchild.
The project opens up with the bass-heavy adulation-filled record titled "Good Girl." This is followed by the punchy drums of "Ain't Us" which sees him reassuring his girl of his love for her as the detractors attempt to break them apart. The record has a gritty drum groove and sublime textures to match Nathaniel's harmonious performance. On "Above Average," he employs a classic drum break laced with warm soulful textures and also brings in Musiq Soulchild for a smooth uplifting duet for the ladies. Nathaniel never shies away from his hip-hop roots as he embodies the spirit of the "Bad Guy" over a bass-driven classic drum break and warm pads. On there, he reminds his girl to be his ride or die while he attempts to take over the world. Nathaniel slows it down on "Lost and Found" with an ethereal soundscape and his distinct uplifting melodic stylings while "My side" is bolstered by a dancehall groove and subtle pads to match his catchy chorus. The project closes out with the previously released "Cash Out," an upbeat celebratory record that details his successes, and "Never Been Black," a poignant record that tackles real-time issues such as police brutality, disenfranchisement, and urban decay.
Aquarius as a whole is quite consistent and delivers in terms of the varied sound stemming from the purview of classic R&B, Soul, Hip-hop, and to a lesser degree Dancehall. Nathaniel is adept with songwriting and knack for crafting memorable melodic choruses but his social commentary also shines through at times.
Get Aquarius on all DSPs here.
