Abeille – “Feels” – sensitivity and consummate craftsmanship

Abeille (meaning ‘honeybee’ in French) is an indie jazz-pop duo out of Nashville and Portland. This long distance project is made up of Emily Jewel and Samuel Terrazzino, who currently released their debut single “Feels”. “This song goes past the meaning of just two individuals finding each other,” explains the duo, continuing: “At the time this song was written we had just started playing music together again after a multi-year hiatus of minimal contact. This song was the turning point in our relationship from being just friends to something more.” They have since gone from being just friends, to a couple crazy enough to endure the many miles that separate them.

“Feels” was written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Abeille, who also took care of the artwork. Fans will appreciate the sensitivity and consummate craftsmanship they bring to this roasted chestnut, seamlessly blending voice and music, making much with smooth minimal means.

Emily Jewel’s rich voice, at times earthy, at others ethereal, lifts and lilts with warmth, fluidity and spiritual immediacy. While her reading of the melody reveals a fertile imagination. The harmonies are rich and smooth, with Samuel Terrazzino blending beautifully into the vocal compartment.

The music combines walking bass lines, mid-range chords, a chunky backbeat and treble melodies that together create a remarkably lush and swinging ensemble; through delicate variations in volume, plucked harmonics, legato fingerings and a grab-bag of extended techniques, Abeille develop an original and highly effective style electronic across “Feels”.

It’s the ultimate compliment to the vocals, as Emily masterfully transforms her voice from husky and rich to a persuasive purr and back again, exploring intricate ways of returning to the contagious refrain: “I don’t get these feels for no one else.” The music follows her scalar moves with uncanny precision.

The words, hopeful, yet cautionary, tell a remarkable story of love, in spite of time and distance. Truth to tell, listening to “Feels” is akin to being wrapped in a warm comforting blanket. The timeless melody that underpins the track, and the smooth shimmering musical backdrop make the perfect antidote to all things negative. And the whole appears to be even greater than the sum of the parts.

“Feels” has an intimacy that is hard to describe. It is as enticing as it is different to the usual electronic bombast of our time. Emily and Samuel both possess considerable chops, always utilized in exquisite taste and in perfect tandem. I think they are finding paradise together, as their music allows you to let all else go and remember what is important – the ability to love and be loved.

Abeille’s music embraces Jazz, Pop and a unique interpretation of contemporary electronic, while the dual levels of vocal intimacy generate performances that are dense with rich layers of emotional subtlety.

They are, quite simply, one of the most remarkable boy-girl pairings in indie pop I have heard this year. Everything Emily Jewel and Samuel Terrazzino do together on “Feels”, has an aura of unity, strength and spiritual togetherness.

OFFICIAL LINKS: SPOTIFY – APPLE MUSIC – SOUNDCLOUD – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK