Brilliant basslines, soulful vocals, quirky but satisfying melodies and a fiercely human sense of passion and live-music vibrancy. Scottish artist and producer Novaborn captures a moment of pure addictive escapism, with the soaring stomp and seduction of Gone.
An anthemic alternative RnB-meets-indie-rock set-up and song, Gone is a total earworm at its peak, but is also stylishly likeable and distinct in paving the way towards that. The songwriting is fairly classic, almost EDM or folk-pop-like in its soul and blues wander towards an uplifting hook, but there’s much more to the style and song than these simple genre comparisons.
There’s a fluidity to the voice, an empowering level of freedom to the story and delivery, and always we come back to that bassline – the beating heart of a great arrangement, and a huge aspect of what makes Gone leave you keen to check out a live show from Novaborn.
The voice too reaches some intoxicating peaks during the final third, and the song rolls on with character and charm – ‘you’re gonna miss me when I’m… you’re gonna miss me when I’m…’ : a looping sentiment that’s easy to make your own, and which naturally lingers in the mind.
From hints of Feelin’ Good to dashes of Rag’N’Bone Man through a whole new indie-soul realm of playful identity, Novaborn makes fine use of effective, timeless songwriting and singing, and Gone is an infectious dose of romantic self-empowerment that’s snappy, sharp, and soulful.
Find Novaborn on Instagram.
