NomBe and Futura Capitalize on their Friendship with "Heartbeat"
By Caitlin Denny
French Italian singer and producer, Raphael Futura, is heating things up for the final month of summer—he released his third single to date on July 31, 2020, titled “Heartbeat,” with singer/songwriter NoMBe, and the pair is a dream.
“Heartbeat” is an effortless fusion of English and French lyricism, paired with dreamy basslines, breezy guitar riffs, and psychedelic background beats. The infectious melody will surely be stuck in your head upon the first listen, combined with lyrics such as, “Whenever you call me/I’ll be there in a heartbeat,” and, “As long as you love me/we’ll never be lonely.”
Regarding how this track came to be, Futura and NoMBe met at the 2016 edition of SXSW music festival in Austin, TX, where they were set to perform at the same stage. Both singers are from Europe, NoMBe being from Germany and Futura being from France.
The pair has yet another connection, too: they both moved to Los Angeles in their early 20s to pursue their lifelong dreams of having a career in music. Futura discussed his move to Los Angeles and how it shaped his music career with Wonderland Magazine:
“It’s really when I moved to LA a few years ago, and California in particular, where I feel like I returned, musically and emotionally, to my roots. The palm trees blowing in the breeze, the sounds of seagulls…brought nostalgic feelings from France, summers in the Mediterranean, my family and friends, and just emotions that almost cross all genres of music. I started making music by myself in a genre I can’t really put a name on. It has the romantic nuances of French culture that are a part of me, the breezy light sounds that remind you of California, and the funk, jazz, and electronic foundation I carry with me always,” he said.
As described here, Futura (and NomBe) have a way of blending genres such as funk, soul, rock’n’roll, electronic, and indie pop, and seamlessly make that combination into what is “Heartbeat.” With just one listen you will be hooked to this feel-good track.
This will not be the last that you will hear from Futura as his debut album, Riviera, drops August 28th. NoMBe will release his second studio album, Chromatopia, sometime in the coming months, after postponing the original release date due to COVID-19.
Keep up with both Futura and NomBe via their socials!
PC: NomBe and Futura for Wonderland Mag