With Beatnik Collective stepping into its third chapter, the Manchester label – helmed by Adam and Rossa – ushers in its first full artist EP, “Hardtoknow” by Natebytheway. The four-tracker marks both an end and a beginning for the San Francisco-born producer: his last works produced in Berlin before returning home, yet also the latest step in a steadily rising trajectory that already saw him turn heads with a standout release on Growing Pleasures, championed by the likes of Dr. Banana.
The A2 cut, “Snazzy init”, distills Nate’s sonic identity into five and a half minutes of understated mischief. Opening with otherworldly, space-flecked tones, the track swiftly grounds itself in a supple, groove-laden house bassline – neither flashy nor forceful, but irresistibly head-nodding. Falsetto-style vocal chops weave in and out like fleeting apparitions, giving the track a playful eccentricity without ever breaking its cool. Piano stabs punctuate the mix, trading places with those airy cosmic flourishes, lending a subtle tension-and-release dynamic that makes the track feel alive without ever overreaching.
It’s laidback, it’s slick, and it’s got that sly “must-drop” character that sneaks its way into nearly any set. “Snazzy init” slides in, takes control of the floor, and leaves you wondering why you’d ever want to play anything else. Natebytheway proves once again that his grooves may be born in Berlin, but their pull is universal.
Words by Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 