T. Nautilus Delivers An Honest and Reflective New Single
- BuzzSlayers
- 2 minutes ago
- 7 min read
A beautifully performed new single from T. Nautilus delivers a cross between something very current in terms of singer-songwriter approaches, giving off hints of indie undertone, and classic folk songwriting at the same time.
There's something about this song that puts you right there in the moment with it. You get pulled into not just these gorgeous layers of texture delivered by the acoustic guitars, but also the vocals.
The beauty of this track is how it's built and put together. Everything has this natural and forward-moving sort of flow to it. It all invites you to drift right alongside it.
The acoustic guitars are indeed layered up, and there are some amazing little riffs that it pulls off along with the chords and the bopping rhythm.
It actually leans towards a sort of acoustic pop feel at certain points because of that bop.
Some of the riffs that are pulled off on the acoustic are really what make it feel like old school Joe Cocker, or Nick Drake.
He's got some amazing technique on the acoustic guitar, but again, it's all performed with this sort of heart that makes it warm in its tone.
The way those guitars are layered also makes it quite warm as well. But the whole thing is very welcoming, and I feel like lyrically, it delivers a lot of character.
When I listened to the "Low Street", I picked up on the fact that it felt like it was about breaking free and starting fresh.
It speaks of having problems and cutting the wires so that you can be free of those problems, even though it's a struggle, and it's hard to do, there's that light at the end of the tunnel.
This could be about all kinds of relationships. It could be a job or a significant other, either way, it's about cutting those wires or strings, and getting free so that you can see what else is out there or just have a refresher.
Doing something like that can be hard, especially if you've been in a relationship for a good amount of time. That's the struggle.
The way it's articulated is beautiful and so connective and relatable.
I feel like a lot of us have been in this situation and have had these kinds of thoughts or feelings, but it's very hard for us to articulate those into words, let alone words and music, so when we hear a song like this, it really hits us a certain way.
Sometimes it lets us feel like we're a little bit less alone in those kinds of thoughts and feelings.
The way his vocals are performed also has that same kind of tonal warmth. The texture between the vocals and the guitars is brilliant because they complement each other.
Part of this is because he does double his vocals just the way he doubles the acoustic guitar. This is probably part of his technique when it comes to writing stripped-down style tracks like this.
It certainly works because it creates a beautiful atmosphere, and when you're really paying attention to those lyrics, you're pulled into the story and the sentiment throughout the track itself.
I think that's part of the importance of it. You end up holding on to the personality of it all. You get attached to that character because you've probably been there before.
One of my favorite aspects of this track is the way it builds up and gets super intense towards the end of it.
You hear percussion coming in, whether it's actual percussion or he's slapping that guitar, you can really hear that drive start to push.
When this starts to happen, more vocals come in, he starts singing less delicately, and more out loud.
By the end, he's completely belting, and you can really feel the passion behind it.
It's got some emotion for sure. It's got that inner thought that comes spilling out for all to soak in, and I find that really appealing, simply because you don't always get it.
When you hear a song like this, a song that's stripped down, personal, and can get intense, you want it to be about something real.
You wanted to feel authentic, and T. Nautilus absolutely pulled it off.
This was a beautiful track from beginning to end, and I suggest listening to it with headphones on so you can really soak in not only the lyrics, but also all these gorgeous layers that sort of come at you and grow as the song unfolds.
Upon listening to the track, I knew I wanted to chat with the artist about where this actually came from and what might be coming up next for him.
So, while you listen to the song, have a read through of our interview with T. Nautilus below, and remember where you heard this first.
Thanks so much for taking the time! Let's jump right into "Low Street"! This had a classic folk feel that blended into indie super well!
ITDT: Right on, thank you for the kind words!
Where did this track come from and what was it about?
ITDT: So this song was written around 2013-2014, and then recorded as part of the debut 2015 album, T. Nautilus. So it’s actually a decade old!
The first version was written in my early 20s. There was a sense of experimentalism with the song. For the first version (and really the full 2015 album), I really wanted to experiment and engage with as many sounds and instruments as I could. The first half was sung in a fairly optimistic way and filled with jovial pianos, percussion and Dave Matthews-style acoustic guitar playing. This led to a double guitar solo and into a big frenetic, “Strokes”-inspired second half. The first half I saw as a kinda corny love song, not of anything in particular. The second half was a bit of its own thing; a bit more intense, a reference to a “police man” and their actions (I had been watching “the Wire” around this time).
I had been inspired by bands like Vampire Weekend and Fleet Foxes that had such sweet, rich, songs that sounded so optimistic, but then their lyrics dealt with such real and raw emotions. The juxtaposition I found so interesting, and I wanted to emulate that.
For this second version, I wanted to first strip down the musicality. It’s a bit more calm while the underlying chords are the same. It allows for some of the song’s melancholic tones to breathe more and bubble to the surface. Around the time of this second version, I had people come and go out of my life and music was a useful processor for how I was dealing with feelings of loneliness, transition in so far as who I was and who I wanted to be, etc. I wanted this new Low Street to reflect its initial intentions more: more raw and removing the overly optimistic tones that may have masked those true moods and emotions. No more hiding. It’s not 2015 anymore.
For instance, the first version first verse, I sing “we’ve got something, these differences were never small at all”
The new version, “we’ve got nothing, these differences were never small at all”.
I am hearing a few different styles on this single. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
ITDT: It’s always been a bit all over the place. On the folk side, I lean towards artists like Fleet Foxes and José González. I really like intense indie folk, where the emotion and musically is super raw and real; songs like “Monster” by Chad Van Gaalen or “Oh Comely” by Neutral Milk Hotel (I have been listening to the latter on repeat this week.)
But it’s still really all over the place! Everything from metal, rap, Chinese punk, Mongolian, J-pop; it’s just super fun to listen and hear the range of emotions and story-telling that music can convey.
Are you performing live right now?
ITDT: Not really. I feel like a play live about once a solstice; my last show was in January 2025, here in Toronto. Perhaps I may play a show this summer?
How did this all start for you as a songwriter?
ITDT: My high school had a “rock show” where we got to play/single classic rock tunes live so I got my musical start there. I got my start taking the stage as David Bowie singing “Rebel, Rebel” (in full “Ziggy Stardust” attire and everything).
As I progressed, I wanted to learn more instruments so I could play more tunes in the show. But overtime I really got more into the creative process of writing my own tunes and arrangements. My parents bought me an eight-track and began toying around with the layers of arrangements and sounds and the rest is history!
What's next for you? Working on more new releases?
ITDT: I have a few more tracks in the back pocket, which I hope to release in the coming weeks/months. Stay tuned .
What kind of advice would you give to other up and coming songwriters or artists trying to get heard?
ITDT: Not sure I am the best person to take advice from on this, given my long-periods of hibernation...I will say, at its core, you need to kind of just go with the flow; you never know what is going to connect with people and when (or even where in the world).
What would you say people can expect to hear on this song?
ITDT: A moody Canadian singer-songwriter; A reborn song that offers a comfort and warm that is also very reflective and honest.
Before we go, what would you want to express to fans of the music?
ITDT: I’m genuinely grateful to anyone who gives their time to listen to my music. It’s a real privilege; we all have such limited time on this planet, and the fact that someone chooses to spend a part of theirs with the sounds and stories I’m trying to share means a lot to me.
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