The stylings of a jazz-infused saxophone play you into Yasmin Natasha's and Samuriium's latest release "Flamingos (SamuriiumRemix)." Samuriium, is a 19-year-old music producer, pianist, and songwriter from Suffolk. Sam started playing piano at 11-years-old and instantly developed a love for music. Through traveling, he became inspired by multicultural societies that inspired his tropical/electro house and electro-pop style. Yasmin Natasha, originally from the Dorset Coast, has been traveling throughout the UK as a folk-inspired singer-songwriter. Her love of the saxophone and incorporating it into her songs, allow her songs to "ooze sunshine." Through her engaging melodies, catchy hooks, and poetic lyrics, Yasmin can create memorable, contemporary pieces of sound.
"Flamingos" has a tropical lounge aura; from the soulful sax, island-inspired beats, and sounds of waves washing over you, create a mood-inducing experience. Yasmin's vocals are smooth and calming as her voice sleepily skates above the playful synthesized notes of sound and tumbling percussions. The lyrics transport you to a sunbathed oasis, sitting on the banks of an island, waves lapping at your feet, the one you love close by, and the sea air blowing through your hair. "Flamingos" inviting soundscape is guaranteed to transport you to your own oasis, no matter where you are.
Listen to "Flamingos" here.
Hello Yasmin and Samuriium, welcome to BuzzMusic. We loved your latest collab "Flamingos." Can you start by telling our listeners a bit more about the meaning of the song and how it came about?
Yasmin: 'Flamingos' is a poetic description of a romantic relationship that is simply not meant to be, but feels so good at the time. This kind of love feels so right in places and it's so infectious but there's something in the back of your mind that says 'this isn't the one' i.e. 'we'll never fly' as I describe in the lyrics.
The song takes you on a journey of a day-to-day relationship such as this but the chorus is that little reminder that it's simply not written in the waves forever.
I had so much fun putting a song together about Flamingos. Suddenly the world was also going through a flamingo phase - they were everywhere in shops, in design, and used as a virtual mascot for so many things so I felt like the universe was sending me signs to write about them.
I remember I was in my bedsit in London during my flamingo-obsessed phase and thinking to myself, 'I really want to write a song about Flamingos'. I wrote the song on ukulele & vocals first, then guitar then I added the sax last once the structure was put together.
I did end up studying Flamingos so I could accurately relate the story behind the song with the way they move, socialize, and generally are; so you'll hear phrases like 'wading through water' in the song which is an accurate description of how they move through the water.
Flamingos represent a tropical theme, paradise, elegance & love so I tried to portray all of this in the song through the lyrics and the melody in the original which was born & released in Nov 2019. Sam then injected some energy into the song this 2020 and evolved it into its tropical form which I feel really made it interesting and attractive to those of the tropical vibes community.
We think your collaboration is a match made in heaven. You both bring unique and similar musical elements to the table. Have you worked together before?
Yasmin: Me & Sam have been insta-messaging each other since last year 2019. He followed me and I followed him back where it was a match made in a tropical paradise.
Sam's passion was really refreshing; we had been exchanging ideas so when the stems for Flamingos came into my hands, I knew who to send it to and he has done an incredible job recycling the song for its existing fans and also for a whole new audience.
His production was exactly how I would want my tracks to be remixed and he really knows his style down to a T.
Sam: The remix of Flamingos was our first song together, well, we did have one song in the works around June/July last year. When I started university in September the backing track became an oversight which I deeply regret. However, because of lockdown, I’ve had time on my hands to work on a few unfinished songs, and our previous collaboration being one of them. This is almost done and I’m super excited about the chilled pop vibes on this one.
Yasmin, we don't often hear the sax highlighted so eloquently in songs. How long have you been playing and what about its sound do you love incorporating into your songs?
Yasmin: I've been in love with the sax since I was 11 years old - I saw a soprano sax on an instrument poster at school and a teacher told me to start playing alto sax in order to eventually play the soprano, so I did and spent every free moment playing the sax.
It's just such a sexy, diverse, and expressive instrument that makes me feel connected to it when I play. It helps that mine is hot pink & gold plated saxophone
I incorporate sax as a kind of 'duo' part in my songs; it helps me with the melody and appears mostly in the bridges of my songs like a second vocalist.
One of the things I especially love about Sax is that it can be played in most styles and I love sax in folk songs/artists like recently Ziggy Alberts' 'Hands I Can Hold' that perhaps people don't expect to hear, but it can be such an uplifting instrument.
We understand there are a few more projects in the works from the two of you. What can we expect to hear about your future collaborations?
Yasmin: We are for sure working on more songs together and maybe even remix some of my other previously released tracks to have some fun with.
We have really enjoyed working together and like you say, it really is a match made in musical heaven so hopefully, there is more to come from us both including originals and remixes - watch this shore!
Sam: I’m currently working on a concept EP, consisting of 5 songs, with deep lounge vibes mixed in with upbeat tropical pop elements. I won’t give too much away, but there’s a story flowing through each of the 5 songs.
Alongside the EP though, I’ve been working on other collaborations and spending a lot of time in my home studio, trying to find my sound. I’ve got one collaboration coming out soon with VIRDU that’ll be a big hit. I’m also working on a few other songs with producers such as Absolute Zero, Daniel Lev, and Nixx, who are immersed in the EDM/House genre. I’m hoping to work with Yasmin again in the future - I really enjoyed the collaboration and it was super fun to work on this remix and it’ll be awesome to give a chilled, tropical renovation on some more of her songs.