It's a testament to its strength that the irresistible catchiness of Anaté's latest single, "I Want You," isn't even my favorite part. My first listen of every song for a review is typically experienced lying on the floor. However, forty seconds into this song, as the pre-chorus rumbled with anticipation, I paused. The intricate production felt like a shark's fin in the vast ocean, circling its prey. I had to get up from my spot before the razor-sharp chorus struck, lighting my room into a fluorescent club. "I want you / I want your wicked self," singer/songwriter Ana sings over the contagiously danceable production from Andrea. The most charming part of this remarkable, dance-pop ode to bad romance, is that you're aware from the very start how hard it's going to go.
"Has my patience been misunderstood?" Ana questions as synths bubble up, like miniature geysers. So simple, yet telling, it's a prime example of the type of knotty lyricism that makes "I Want You" so gripping. Perhaps she's waited for the subject to make the first move, only to be neglected. Was it patience or indifference that they saw? Reading each line alongside Ana's voice and Andrea's production, the story unfurls, stretching far beyond the limits of its three-minute runtime. The cover displays Ana's coy expression as she glances at the camera behind her back. This mirrors the themes of the song perfectly. At face value, it appears merely flirtatious, but the real heart of the song is her offering of vulnerability to someone she's aware will hurt her. "I have jumped by myself into your web," she admits. To see the shark's smile with your own eyes, and knowingly dive into the water in spite of the danger. That is intoxicating force at the center of "I Want You."
Anaté is the collaborative project of Berlin-based singer/songwriter Ana and Milan-based producer Andrea. After meeting in Bruxelles in 2019, the duo began creating their downtempo, genre-bending music. Referencing bands such as Hooverphonic, Massive Attack, and Morcheeba in the polished production, Anaté brings a fresh harmony to the equally referential and iconic vocal melodies. Last year, the duo released their exceptional debut, Confessions, which featured ten tracks recorded largely remotely. "I Want You" is the third single of 2022.
Written By Andy Mockbee
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