Tumbling from the heavens above like dewdrops on an early spring morning, Natalis’ “Praise You” comes alive ever so pendulously only to erupt in colorful harmonies less than sixty seconds into its complete running time. There’s an atmospheric sensibility to the instrumentation at the start of this track that immediately clues us in to the grandiosity of what we’re about to experience. As we get further along, the volume seems to increase without us ever touching the dial, and before we know it, we’re surrounded by a deluge of decadent melodicism that cannot be stopped for anything. The rhythm is churning beneath the growing harmony, but somehow, it’s clear from the get-go that we aren’t in any danger of being swept away by a wild beat in “Praise You.”
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/natalisruby/?hl=en
When the vocal enters the picture and brings with it angelic words of worship, we start to get the full scope of why this single feels as immensely captivating as it does, even when the lyrics aren’t present in the mix. We ascend towards the chorus alongside Natalis as though we’re hiking an impossibly high mountain, only to find the peak a lot easier to reach than we ever would have imagined. Natalis’ emotional connection to the words is unmissable here, and although it’s obvious that she could probably sing just about any kind of music she wanted to and still sound impeccably talented, there’s never any doubts as to whether or not she picked the right avenue to go down with this particular composition.
While I would have liked just a bit more from the percussion in this song, I can really appreciate the cerebral element that Natalis was so obviously striving for in “Praise You.” In incorporating as much of the backdrop into the forward-motion of the narrative as possible, she makes it hard for listeners to step away from this single without feeling overcome by the emotion being conveyed to them around every twist and turn in the rhythm. Had the drums been less subtle than they are in this situation, I can’t be certain whether or not the evocative, chill-inducing qualities that made me fall in love with this song in the first place would still be left intact.
FAN LINK: https://fanlink.to/NatalisPraiseYou
You don’t have to be a big gospel/worship/CCM fan to like what Natalis is giving up to the world in this most recent studio work, but for those of us who are, her recording of “Praise You” couldn’t be coming at a better moment this summer. Divisiveness is a constant burden on society, and particularly in the last month or so, but when listening to a song like “Praise You,” it’s hard to think about anything other than the positivity that comes from embracing the most divine aspects of being alive. I love the spirit of this composition, and although it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea this June, I think there’s a strong chance that Natalis’ sound is going to sit better with critics and fans than some of her peers’ will.
Troy Johnston