Mvua was written collaboratively by Kenyan guitarist Ivy Alexander and New Orleans-based composer and multi-instrumentalist free feral. Meaning “rain” in Swahili, Mvua began as a set of chords created by Ivy, capturing the sombre mood of a rainy day during the OneBeat residency in Florida. After hearing the guitar pattern, free developed a set of melodies that fit Ivy’s sonic atmosphere, adding lyrics that compare the falling of rain to falling in love: “I’m floating on a cloud, and then suddenly I’m tumbling down…” free then added a set of viola harmonies that fill out the emotional texture of this poignant song.
credits
from OneBeat Mixtape 19,
released March 17, 2020
Written by free feral and Ivy Alexander
free feral - Vocals + Viola
Ivy Alexander - Guitar
Recorded by Jeremy Thal
Mixed by Christopher Botta + Jeremy Thal
Mastered by Christopher Botta