Clattermouuuth’s Music of The Week: Nathias’ ‘mako’

Welcome to Clattermouuuth, a column dedicated to curating the musical taste of Rockaway one week at a time. Each week, I will be writing about an album or an artist that deserves more attention. Whether through an in-depth interview or an analysis of the work, each article will answer the question: Why should you listen? If you do listen to whatever I recommend, let me know at clattermouuuthrec@gmail.com. Today, I’d like to talk a bit about an artist I’ve been listening to pretty frequently for about a year now, alternative singer-songwriter Nathias. More specifically, I’d like to talk about his EP, “mako.”

It is rare that I believe that an artist truly does not have enough publicity for the talent that one has. It’s a tough industry out there, and very few truly deserve to “make it.” However, Nathias is one of those artists that I believe deserves more attention due to his natural skill, which radiates through every track on his EP, “mako,” released way back in 2023.

Nathias’ “mako” was some of the first music that he released, yet it feels as though he’s been making music for years. Each track has a distinct and nostalgic feel to it. Nathias presents his ability to write touching yet catchy choruses through songs such as the opening track of the EP, “someone who cries,” and “in your eyes.” Songs such as “screen time” highlight Nathias’ unique songwriting capabilities. The song only has a few lines, yet it paints a true and reflective story, like a short poem.

Nathias was actually one of the first artists I interviewed way back in November. When I asked about where he finds inspiration, he explained to me that his music is inspired by the many artists that he looks up to. “For example, right now I’m really into Elliott Smith,” he explained, “so I’ve become increasingly interested in chord progressions, and double tracking and all things Elliott Smith adjacent.” Being early in his musical journey, he hopes to “find more inspiration in things outside of other people,” he told me. “I don’t want to become derivative, but I’m still figuring myself out as an artist, so I’ll cut myself some slack for now.”

In our interview, he announced that he is working on another EP! While we all wait for that EP to release, I highly recommend “mako” and all his other work. I guarantee you will find something that you enjoy. You can find my full interview with Nathias on Clattermouuuth.com or @clattermouuuth_showcase on Instagram.