Genre-defying MF Tomlinson has released the video for his debut single ‘Nature Boy’. Playing like a trailer from a move, ‘Nature Boy’ is musically inspired by 1970s action greats such as Shaft, and the video follows in the same style.
Amidst scenes of glimmering sunshine, Tomlinson and director Eddie van Whelan draw on classic suspense films such as Vertigo and Don’t Look Now to create a sinister atmosphere. The song is a reference to influential American songwriter eden ahbez’s Nature Boy, in which he said “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.”
An old photo of Tomlinson blurs the lines between eden’s semi-autobiographical tale and his own. MF finds himself in an unfolding conspiracy, as the video expands on the song’s themes of reckoning with the darker side of our own culture.
Starring a cast of MF’s musical collaborators with featured performances by Ami Koda, Alex McKenzie and Frederik Tyson-Brown, it brings the viewer on a guided tour of MF Tomlinson’s London, peppered with landmarks of his songwriting including the Pacific Social Club, Cable St Studios and even his own rooftop.
‘Nature Boy’ is a stylistic collision between Todd Rundgren and Dr Dre, delivering a musical message of optimistic intent in these troubled times.
The track sees cinematic soul synths grounded by a thunderous bassline, while MF Tomlinson’s vocals alternate between pensive, half-spoken rhetoric and suave hooks before soaring to climactic outbursts of passionate, anthemic energy.
Regarding the single MF Tomlinson says, “The song is a reckoning with the situation we find ourselves in. Growth and acceptance faces opposition from a sometimes heart-breaking reality. eden’s ‘Nature Boy’ maxim still rings true – it just seems in need of an update… We’re all the hero in our own stories – you could think about it as a theme song for a hopeful person in a fucked up world.”
The track was co-written with Angus James (keys) and developed alongside Ed Grimshaw (drums). It also features vocalist Connie Chatwin and flautist Ami Koda.
Following his last incredible sold out London show at The Lexington last month, MF Tomlinson has been announced to support Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever at London’s Village Underground on July 17th. Tickets are on sale Friday June 7th via Ticket Web.
MF Tomlinson prompts comparisons as varied as Lou Reed and Tame Impala. His songs are the down-but-not-out chronicles of ordinary life; widescreen portraits of his relationships and neighbourhood painted with his cast of talented collaborators. MF Tomlinson is on a musical mission to turn up the transcendental in his everyday experiences and he introduces that message with the divine ‘Nature Boy’.
