Abimaro handles grief and loss with disarming grace on classic ballad ‘Without You.’

The South-London soul-folk singer-songwriter has built her sound from neo-soul, jazz  and traditional folk elements, creating her own unique blend. ‘Without You’ follows more in the tradition of the classic, jazz-flavoured soft rock ballads of the 80s and 90s, like Joan Armatrading’s ‘The Weakness In Me’, Tracy Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’, and Sade’s ‘By Your Side’, layering her unique vocal tone over gleaming guitar and delicately placed piano. 

The instant standout on this track is Abimaro’s voice, in this case for a special reason: the artist was heavily pregnant while recording. In the later stages, pregnancy changes breathing technique and the shape of the vocal cords, forcing shallow chest breathing and more difficult sound production. On ‘Without You’, this notable change enhances Abimaro’s intimate lyrics, bringing a captivating rawness to her exploration of grief.

Speaking on the process, the artist said

Contrasted against the polished, clean arrangement by producer Sam Beste of The Vernon Spring, Abimaro’s nuanced, textured tone is spellbinding.