Listen: Espoir by Nao

Nao Espoir Opening with looping drums and cut up vocal sounds, Espoir, from French artist Nao, primarily deals in vibes. Cool blue synth tones and springy synthetic bass create a sunny warmth before a female vocal instructionally deadpans a series of moves. The result is a buoyant piece of music — it’s getting lost down Mediterranean backstreets, holding hands with someone you care about, jumping into the pool, eye contact. Collage-like, Nao has made something evocative yet also abstract. In terms of genre, this it exists somewhere between French touch and Underworld, briefly veering into a starry eyed break of scattered beats before returning to a heartland of thick electronics. Espoir is taken from Nao’s debut EP, Feels Right. Nao created the song in a flurry that took less than two hours, and it “explores freedom, escapism, and moving forward without looking back”. Having previously played bass and production duties for the French outfit Later, Nao has spent six years at the heart…

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