(LP) Eric Hilton - Corazon Kintsugi

From downtempo electronic music Godfather Eric Hilton and his longtime Thievery Corporation vocal collaborator Natalia Clavier comes “Corazon Kintsugi”, a sublime new studio album that explores the flaws and resilience of the human heart.

Hilton and Clavier’s musical relationship dates back to 2008, when he produced her debut album “Nectar” for Eighteenth Street Lounge Music. The Argentinian singer-songwriter was subsequently invited to be part of Thievery Corporation’s live act, and sang on their stunning 2014 album “Saudade”. Clavier refers to Hilton as her “biggest musical mentor”, while Hilton calls Natalia a “muse on steroids”.

"I had quite a few fragments of songs that I felt would work better with a vocalist than as solo pieces, and Natalia created that outlet for me,” says Hilton. “It was a great break artistically to work with a singer and songs, instead of instrumentals. I had a very heavy hand in this record, but she trusted me and brought so many great ideas. There were no creative battles at all, Natalia and I have mutual respect and that’s why it worked,” says the producer. Clavier concurs. “Eric and I speak the same language. I asked him - “How do you feel about me singing in Spanish and maybe Portuguese?", and he was so enthusiastic. He gives me creative freedom, which allows me to be totally open."

The pensive title track “Corazón Kintsugi” which opens the record, contains the lyric “rebuilding myself is an art” - something Clavier was focused on as she worked through a challenging personal transition at the start of this project. "When I heard the music for what ultimately became “Corazon Kintsugi”, I knew I wanted to write about mending a broken heart, but not from a romantic perspective,” says Clavier. "I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese aesthetics, art, their ceremonies….Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with gold, which makes the imperfections more visible, celebrating them, is beautiful. And of course, corazón means “the heart” in Spanish. I thought that Corazon Kintsugi would be a beautiful metaphor for how we heal our hearts, grow and move forward in life.”

Hilton produced, arranged and played the majority of the instruments on "Corazón Kintsugi”. The 9-track album delivers a musical concoction that Hilton has uniquely mastered - ingredients of dub, trip-hop, Bossa nova, vintage continental European film music, and sparkling electronica, blended with sophistication and ease. Natalia Clavier’s presence heightens the listening pleasure, taking center stage with her urgent vocal performance on the funky “Nene”, the Venus-on-a-seashell whisperings of “Luna”, or a celestial testimony to karmic love on “Amor Astral”.

"I intentionally wanted to infuse musical healing arts into traditional songwriting on this record,” says Clavier. "When you go into the studio spiritually clean you’re connected the present, you’re grounded, and everything flows through the crown chakra naturally. I can see music, not just hear it. When I’m talking about the moon or ocean I’m in that environment in my mind.”

Hilton couldn’t be more pleased with the finished result of he and Clavier’s collaboration. "This is a fun, groovy record, very light hearted in the best possible way,” says Hilton. “It visits some styles I don’t really do with Thievery or my solo work, mainly late 70’s/80’s disco funk. I love that style of music but don’t make a lot of it. Natalia did a fantastic job. Despite the “concept”, this is not a very self-conscious record, it has an openness to it, and I think that’s going to resonate with anyone who hears the music.”

“Corazón Kintsugi” by Eric Hilton with Natalia Clavier will be released by Montserrat House on September 29th 2023