Nanuk - “Young”
The latest release from Nanuk, a heartfelt folk tune called “Young,” has been crafted for listeners who long to lose themselves in introspection. The track’s opening acoustic guitars and synth pads immediately conjure up a dreamlike atmosphere that grabs ahold of the listener's attention, but the vocals are where Nanuk really tightens this grasp, at times reminiscent of Justin Vernon’s earlier work.
Two acoustic guitars, panned to either side, play a finger picking pattern, whilst a third guitar subtly adds a rhythmic groove in the top center position. This helps to provide the song with a lovely, stripped back vibe– a sound which we have all come to know and love over these past few months of blogging. A deep bass is added, which pulses beautifully beneath the guitars and vocal.
As the song progresses, the pad noises gradually intensify and enhance the ethereal mood. One of the guitars begins to play higher notes and is given a wonderful, reverberating effect. A solo of melodic keys is then added as an additional layer to the melody. The atmosphere of “Young” is further enhanced by the addition of a shaker and claps, and Nanuk’s soothing and delicate voice is the ideal complement to the song’s already dreamlike atmosphere. And though the lyrics themselves are straightforward, they are sung directly from the heart.