JazzTimes is honored to present the premiere of “Righteous Energy” by multi-instrumentalist and producer Nate Mercereau. The track is taken from his debut album, Joy Techniques, which is scheduled to be released July 12 on Mercereau’s own How So Records imprint, a collaborative label with producer/songwriter Ricky Reed.
For this track, Mercereau is the sole composer and instrumentalist, multitracking himself on electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, and percussion. Elsewhere on the album, guests include saxophonist Terrace Martin, violinist Shaina Evoniuk, bassist Josh Lippi, and drummers Aaron Steele and Derek Taylor.
Mercereau—who’s worked as a producer and sideman with pop, R&B, and hip-hop artists such as Lizzo, Sheila E., Jay-Z, Leon Bridges, Rhye—recorded Joy Techniques over several years at his studio in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Echo Park. Notably, he used no keyboards, instead relying on guitar, drums, and a collection of rare ’70s and ’80s guitar synths, including the Roland GR-300 paired with the Roland G-303 guitar, Roland GR-500 and GR-700s, and the Korg X911.
“My album Joy Techniques is about going as far as manufacturing positivity when you need to,” Mercereau says. “Making and performing this record is an intentional creation of that space. ‘Righteous Energy’ is the light sizzle of synchronicity, the clean burning fuel of inspiration. It’s about feeling connected to the source and knowing you’re sharing that with your people. I often like the sound you get when juxtaposing two different feels between the groove and the melody.”
You can also stream “Righteous Energy” here.
