As the lead vocalist for Cape Town’s Diamond Thug, Chantel Van T has been building a reputation as an evocative performer since 2013. As capable of filling the upbeat spacey grooves of their earlier releases to the sparse and moody tones of more recent singles, Van T developed a impressive range and versatility, and it was no surprise to see her branch out into solo work. First with the EP, Tides, and then the full-length record We’re Still Running, both released under the moniker Van T.
These releases drew upon acoustic influences, indebted to country, folk and blues, but now Van T is back and recording under her full name, and the change does not end there. Recorded in Berlin with Danish producer Anders Christopherson, Nicalochan is a record that breaks new ground. With Jakob Høyer (drums and arrangement), Davide Rossi (string arrangement) and Andrej Ugoljew (trombone) lending their talents, the album finds a richer, more expansive sound, and provides a backdrop capable of following Chantel Van T’s explorations of dreams, love and becoming a woman.
Today sees the release of the record’s lead single, ‘Rumble and Crawl’, a track that introduces the sound in all its depth and maturity. The country influences are still apparent, but gentle washes of instrumentation give the whole thing a slow-burning power. More Mazzy Star than Dolly Parton, there’s a sense of intuition, some organic sensibility in the rhythms that lacks any sense of artifice, a vibe mirrored in the way the track came into existence. “[The song was] written in the summer by the ocean in Denmark,” Van T explains. “It was my first time in the north during solstice. I was alone on the shore by the small fire and out came ‘Rumble and Crawl.'”
In this way, Chantel Van T appears more a conduit than a creator, the vessel through which some other force visits. With this comes not only a dreamy logic but a sense of searching too, like trying to get a handle on something bigger than yourself, even as it envelops you. “The song asks questions about someone seeing you fully. Falling in love with the idea of someone rather than recognizing the whole,” Chantel Van T continues. “The song offers glimpses into me as a person. It touches on one of the themes of the album, the illusions of love and asks what redamancy truly means.”
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‘Rumble and Crawl’ is out today and available at all the usual places. Nicalochan will be released later this year.
