Apparently by the age of 11 Natalia was already performing to packed audiences at one of the largest concert halls in Buenos Aires, she went on to study acting and then join a band with one of the best names ever, Cosmic Ja-Ja.

With a move to live in Barcelona, she was quickly picked up by the local jazz community as well as featuring on house and techno productions. She met and subsequently married Federiovo Aubele (another ex-pat living in Barcelona) but not before she appeared on his album Panamericana (“Natalia Clavier’s gossamer voice tangos (metaphorically)”).

Néctar is totally sung in Spanish and she wrote all but one of the 12 tracks on the album. That said, one of the reasons this album sounds so good is that Frederico has aided on the production by Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton so it’s just a little more savvy than a Argentinean folk-pop album.

Don’t go expecting anything like label mate Ursula 1000 or Gotan Project as it generally downtempo sultry. The touches are very subtle, like the dubby drum echos on ‘Dormida’ and ‘Azul’ or the little bit of sratchin’ on ‘El Arbol. But the electronica is fairly limited as there’s enough traditional instruments, particularly the uses of cello and violin throughout, to keep folk/world/Latin jazz fans happy (including Charlie Gillett).

‘Ay De Mi’ has been described as “sly tango” but for the purists there’s the one cover version of Atahualpa Yupanqui’s ‘Tu Que Pueded Vuélvete’. The tracks that work best for me are the ‘modern’ beats, particularly the title track ‘Nectar’, ‘Azul’, ‘Dromida’, ‘El Arbol’, the beautiful ‘Tiempo’ and another with sly tango leanings, ‘Mi Mentira’.

The album comes with lyric sheet, in Spanish of course, so it might be the turning point for Charlie to get his Spanish language learning tapes out but even if you’re like me and only know “dos cerveza pour favor”, it’s still worth getting this album.

She’s appearing at The Big Chill Festival this year (1st August) which should be extra special.

Reviewed: Natalia Clavier — Nectar (Eighteenth Street Lounge Music) Cat. No. ESL 131 Release date: 9th June 2008
Tracklisting:
1 El Árbol (3:33)
2 Dormida (3:28)
3 Azul (3:51)
4 Ay De Mi (3:30)
5 No Volverá (3:30)
6 Confusión (2:50)
7 Mi Mentira (3:52)
8 La Mitad (3:17)
9 Tu Que Pueded Vuélvete (3:33)
10 Simple (3:18)
11 Néctar (3:50)
12 Tiempo (3:23)

Links:
www.myspace.com/nataliaclavier
www.eslmusic.com
www.myspace.com/eslmusic
www.last.fm/music/Natalia+Clavier
www.federicoaubele.com
www.myspace.com/aubele
BBC Young Musician Of The Year — 30th Anniversary 4th May 2008
Charlie Gillett — Award-winner Charlie Gillett wants to speak Spanish
www.argentina-tango.com