“Underwater Love” by Smoke City

Underwater love…

Smoke city began to develop somewhat of a cult following after “Underwater love” was featured in a ‘Levi’s Jeans’ tv commercial in 1997, a few months before the group released its first album “Flying Away”.

I really like the analogy used in the title of the song to draw a parallel between the overwhelming feeling of newfound love and the all consuming physical sensation of being well…..under water.

“This must be underwater love

The way I feel it slipping all over me”

“This is it, Underwater love

It is so deep, So beautifully liquid”

I find it really difficult to categorize or place a stylistic label on this song.  The tempo is typical of trip-hop, the drums elements (shakers, brushes) of brazilian samba, the sound effects of electronica and there is a hiphop verse in there just for good measure.  All this from a British band with a brazilian lead singer !!???! Nina Miranda is equally fluent in English and Portuguese and she navigates between the two almost playfully on this song.

Underwater love has been in every playlist I’ve created since the first time I heard it.  I’ve never been able to resist the positive vibes emanating from the song….It always takes me to a happy/sunny place.

Title: Underwater Love / Artist: Smoke City / Album: Flying Away (1997)