Island Record

Exotic yet familiar, the music of Wild Belle is the sonic equivalent of a faded photograph from a visit to a distant shore. “Each song is its own little island,” says singer Natalie Bergman of the catalog of her dream-weaving Brooklyn-based duo, formed with her brother, the multi-instrumentalist Elliot. Indeed, Wild Belle’s breakthrough debut, Isles, takes listeners on a journey through African funk, sunshine reggae, ’70s soul, and electro-pop before settling into its own subtly surprising groove. “Happy Home” suggests Lana Del Rey sunbaking on a Caribbean vacation, while “Just Another Girl” evokes Adele were she to be rewired with an indie-beatbox motherboard. Uniting the band’s eclectic sound is Natalie’s retro-flavored voice, which seems bigger and wiser than her 23 years would suggest. “I’ve got a pretty face, and I wear a nice dress,” she croons on the naughty Jamaican-influenced “Keep You.” And while such a statement may be true, Wild Belle’s appeal stems more from the pair’s authentic style. “We’ve been playing music together our entire lives,” Natalie notes. “It happened naturally. We want to be a positive musical movement.”

Island Record: Caleb Condit and Natalie Bergman