Music, at its core, is a sonic expression of human emotion. Be it sadness, elation, or yearning, it’s a transmission to us from the artist, of how they were feeling when they made it, or at a certain point in time. Most music can convey the intended emotions, and some music can even transport us to the artist’s world for a moment. But, at least in my experience, few artists can truly make you FEEL exactly what they felt. One of those rare artists is Gnat, the stage name of Nat Rezek, an indie/folk singer-songwriter based out of Los Angeles and hailing from rainy Seattle. In a deluge of sad people with acoustic guitars, their music stands out with incredibly detailed and crisp production, with layers that most listeners won’t even notice. Gnat’s vocals float over the melancholic, sometimes haunting instrumentation (of which they played every part themselves) with complex harmonies that fill the space of the song, but never smother you. Gnat’s crushing lyrics are the final ingredient that ties together their debut EP, “It Better Be Perfect”, touching on themes of dysfunctional relationships, being neglected by people they love, and other deeply personal calamities. It is genuinely one of my favorite releases of the year, and I am thrilled to share this interview with Nat, and their music, with you.
In this episode, Brylan and (G)Nat discuss Nat’s upbringing in Seattle and how the musical spirit of the city influenced their artistry (including the time they performed on the same stage as a certain famed grunge band), how listening to Christina Perri at a young age helped them find the emotional vocabulary to write their own music, and Nat and Brylan’s shared love for Coldplay and playing clarinet. Brylan also puts Nat’s instincts to the test, getting them to identify famous bands’ original names that never took (some of which are truly terrible). Finally, the pair deep dive into a few tunes from the Gnat EP, as well as take a sneak peak at some unreleased music from Nat’s other music project, Dinner With Me.
You’ll get way more than your “Fill” with this interview!
Listen to Gnat’s music!
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/gnat/1800535446
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/13kNQ91Oan8twenAijXeXN
Follow Gnat on Social Media!
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gnat.rezek
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@gnat.rezek
Listen to Dinner With Me’s Music:
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dinner-with-me/1710290974
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zIwTj4rjgJ1G68Z8Hjikl
Follow Dinner With Me on Social Media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dinnerwithme.hehe
Songs used in this episode:
“Conscious Uncoupling” by Pool Kids
“Grandfather Clock” by Gnat
“Fill” by Gnat
“Maximum Love” by Dinner With Me (Unreleased)
Follow the show!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress
