Nathan Mac’s latest single is the magic we need this winter. ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ sounds like an overlapping Studio Ghibli and Pixar masterpiece, and it wraps us in a world just as beautiful…
The song describes a boy who sees his father crying for the first time. There are layers to it’s story but the message is distilled into its final lyrics: “You will grow into a man, and it’s okay to cry.”
Getting to the core of this song, we find the message of male vulnerability and mental health, but the message is by no means one sided. Typical of a Nathan Mac song it’s written to speak to everyone. Who hasn’t seen their heros fail or falter? It’s something we all remember. In fact, Nathan had this to say about his latest single:
“Everyone has a story about this. When I sing this song to people, it seems to compel them to tell me about the first time they saw their father, or mother, or older sibling cry. The sheer amount of stories I’ve been told in response tells me that I’ve struck some kind of ‘chord’ with this song.”
Once again, produced by Brian Dwyer, the blend of organic and synthetic instruments is undeniably genius. The backbone of this track is the delicate, trickling guitar and consoling vocals. When combined with pristine synths and an inspired typewriter percussion, the song takes on an epic and complex life of its own.
At the very centre of this song you find Nathan Mac, writing about his own relationship to his father. This intimacy can be felt deeply in the lyrics, music, and imagery. The subject of male intimacy features in many of his songs, yet to be released. Could this be a recurring theme in the ‘Start of Something Blue’? We’ll just have to wait and see.
‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ will be available to stream and download from the 4th of December. PreSave the song here.
