Nathan Harrington
Superbly melodic and warm enough to make even the chilliest of December days just a little sunnier through the majesty of its sound, Nathan Harrington’s new single and music video “Over the Mountain” definitely makes brilliant use of its signature vocal harmony. As central to the narrative as any of the verses are, the harmony in this track is perhaps the most powerful agent of evocation for us to absorb on the surface level, but don’t think for a second this is the only smart feature the song has to offer. Harrington puts his soul into the compositional integrity of this piece, and from where I sit his passion is more than enough to make anyone into a fan of his accessible, pop-inspired reggae sound.
Aside from the lyrical content in “Over the Mountain,” the rhythm here contributes to the mood like nothing else could have. There’s a suppleness to the way the strings lightly dance beside the verse that never finds full realization; the result of this well-placed tension is a bit of melancholy over the chorus that simply wouldn’t have been audible to us otherwise. I can’t say enough about the righteousness of Harrington’s boldly utilized tempo in this performance, and while this has always been an essential component of quality reggae since the beginning of the genre, we’re reminded of just how significant a difference it can make when listening to a meticulously-crafted single like this one. Emotionality in poetry is expected, but when it’s conveyed through the very sway of the instrumentation, that’s something entirely more impressive.
I love the tonality of the guitar strings in this mix, and personally I don’t think anything could have complemented the lead vocal quite as well as they do. By drawing from the aesthetical well of vintage reggae while sticking to a post-millennium stylization of the harmony, Nathan Harrington isn’t just evolving an already-exciting hybrid sound with his material - he’s actually developing something that is very different from what most of his contemporaries both at home and abroad have been in recent times. He’s following the beat of his own drum, and while this isn’t something I’m able to say about the vast majority of players whom I review, that makes his a discography I want to get to know even more.
"Over the Mountain” is a fantastic new single and music video, and while I was already enticed by the sound Harrington has cultivated for himself in the last year, I’m looking forward to seeing what comes in the wake of this song’s success even more now. He’s got a one of a kind charisma that is just dying to break out of the box and fill our speakers with a vitality you just can’t practice into existence - no matter how dedicated a performer you may or may not be - and if it continues to serve as the primary focus of the content bearing his name, he’s going to find his way onto the mainstream charts a lot sooner than later.
Joshua Beach
Melbourne, AUS
12/2020
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