Approaching Natalie Del Carmen’s aural universe is a truly magical experience, mainly due to her timeless and nostalgic character. Breaking free from the restraints of modern pop, refusing to deal with its sheen and flashy allure, the Los Angeles-based songstress has instead found a worthy refuge in wholesome Americana and folk territories, genres that well fit her heartwarming, evocative vocals. Such potent artistry is now put on full display in ‘Pastures’, Del Carmen’s sophomore album out now via Torrez Music Group. It’s a tender, introspective listening experience, the kind of musical offering that will likely appeal to a wide audience.
We can here observe Natalie at her most honest, sharing tales of early adulthood with remarkable authenticity and vulnerability. It’s a deep dive into the trepidation of her early twenties: the deep, constant striving for meaning and an overarching life goal. It’s certainly Del Carmen’s most mature album to date, a sign that she’s slowly blooming into a thoughtful and sensible woman. Recorded in just eight days outside of Nashville with Tennessee-based collective Brunjo, the record features classic Americana arrangements, with fiddles, banjos, and mandolines playing a pivotal role throughout the album’s nine tracks.
Delving deeper into ‘Pastures’, Del Carmen explains: “It focuses on the strange, quiet in-between that defined my early twenties, where I constantly felt on the verge of something, but never quite anywhere. I’ve been in a long season of transition; nothing’s ever certain, except the pressure to keep moving and prove something along the way. I’ve always felt a kind of urgency, like whatever I’m after is still way ahead of me. I wanted to write about what it feels like to be drifting between who you are and who you’re becoming.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Pastures’ now: