Bakar Ponders an Ideal Future on "NW3" Ahead of Debut Album
Bakar, in all aspects, represents a new class of artistry and formality - intertwining the realms of British punk and an "IDGAF" impulse that usually resides in hip-hop, he finds himself genre-melding into mixed frameworks. A sentiment that becomes immediately imperative on his new single "NW3."
The Camden crooner's repertoire embraces elements of punk, indie, grime, seductive R&B grooves, and the occasional electro-pop tonality; regardless, it's subtly warm and soft, reminiscent of a fleeting feeling while cuddled up in a plush blanket. To add, the London-based artist revealed the single is part of an announcement package, stringing along with a debut album Nobody's Home, set to release on February 25 and a 2022 international tour that fans have been craving since the release of Badkid.
"NW3" fully contains various, fully-realized sections, with the instrumentation setting the pulse of where the song moves. The guitar strums set off the track with a melancholic tonality, almost wavering in and out like the conflicting internal battle Bakar faces with his love interest. The lyricism ties together a story of falling hard and rather quickly. It's a battle between "maybe not yet or "maybe the falling has already started."
The repeated melody falls in like clockwork. "The last laugh is yours / Before and after 'cause my heart is torn / I think I found us the answer in NW / I might end up with you, I might / Cook food for two I might / End up, end up in NW," sings the British artist, inviting listeners into a mesmerizing yet burning desire for something that you just can't decide on emotionally.
Yet, you can't separate the inherent artistry that flows through Bakar's very being, dabbling his hands in fashion, walking for Louis Vuitton (two times) under Virgil Abloh and brands such as Brain Dead, ultimately setting himself apart as an artist that is unamused by the proper mold of success, or how you should wear it. "NW3" is just the beginning of the long road ahead for Bakar this year, and it is without hesitation that we say this will be a record near the top of many year-end lists, including ours.
Listen to "NW3" below:
