
One of the most hauntingly beautiful songs I’ve heard this year is “Broken Record” by British artist NAVE, the solo music project of singer-songwriter, composer and producer Nathan Evans. The prolific and hyper-talented musician creates gorgeous and dramatic music incorporating a broad array of genres and styles, including alternative electronica, rock, ambient, trip-hop, orchestral and dark wave. He’s also front man for alternative rock band Native Tongue. He wrote “Broken Record” to address the powerfully addicting allure of social media and its impacts on our emotional and mental health. Nathan states “‘Broken Record’ focuses on the like, follow and share society we have transitioned into over the past decade. Likes release dopamine like a drug and we become addicted to the validation, attention and acknowledgment of our successes or happiness. We hide behind filters and fake smiles to show an inaccurate reality we wish was real.” The song is stunning, with mournful, contemplative piano keys overlain with arresting percussion, swelling strings and mysterious vocal effects. I love male singing voices in the higher ranges, and Nathan’s is especially captivating here. Not only is “Broken Record” a gorgeous song, it also resonates very strongly with me, and I’m thrilled to place it at the top of my list this week.
In other notable chart developments, The Killers‘ uplifting anthem “boy” leaps 17 spots to #4, Cafuné‘s “Tek It” advances a notch to enter the top 10 at #10, Steve Lacy‘s “Bad Habit” jumps 11 spots to #18, and Beach Weather‘s “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” climbs nine spots to #21. The lone debut this week is the delightful “Party4One” by the brilliant Canadian artist dwi, which enters at #30.
- BROKEN RECORD – NAVE (2)
- UNTIL I FOUND YOU – Stephen Sanchez (1)
- SUPERMODEL – Måneskin (3)
- BOY – The Killers (21)
- FAILURE TO COMPLY – MISSIO (5)
- VIVA LAS VENGEANCE – Panic! At the Disco (8)
- BONES – Imagine Dragons (9)
- BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé (10)
- CLOSER – The Frontier (4)
- TEK IT – Cafuné (11)
- HERE TO FOREVER – Death Cab for Cutie (14)
- LEMON TREE – Mt. Joy (7)
- MISTAKES – Sharon Van Etten (6)
- SIDELINES – Phoebe Bridgers (12)
- WHAT’S THE TRICK? – Jack White (13)
- PLEASE WRITE RESPONSIBLY – Granfalloon (19)
- PART OF THE BAND – The 1975 (20)
- BAD HABIT – Steve Lacy (29)
- SEASICK – The Rare Occasions (22)
- ABOUT DAMN TIME – Lizzo (15)
- SEX, DRUGS, ETC. – Beach Weather (30)
- FREE – Florence + the Machine (23)
- CRACKER ISLAND – Gorillaz featuring Thundercat (24)
- SOMETHING LOUD – Jimmy Eat World (26)
- GREY – Holy Coves (18)
- GIANTS – WALK THE MOON (27)
- LIN MANUEL – Onism E (17)
- THE FUNERAL – YUNGBLUD (16)
- COMPLIANCE – Muse (25)
- PARTY4ONE – dwi (N)