NAO

Producer A.K. Paul teams up with London vocalist Nao for ‘So Good’. The latter’s delicate vocal highs match the former’s unrefined lows perfectly, but the real star here is the production. Paul uses synth stabs that wouldn’t sound out of place on an Electric Guest track, and guitars that are surely lifted from Prince to create a kind of Steely Dan smoothness!

The track has an off-kilter laziness that makes it perfect for the time of year, without any of the trappings that a ‘summer smash’ would bring. The man behind the beat happens to be the brother of UK underground favourite Jai Paul, with whom he’s collaborated many a time, as well as racking up production credits with the likes of Big Boi, Sam Smith and Jessie Ware.

Words by Lewis Lister

Tipped by Stevie McMinn from Akira Records