An enveloping new album from Latvian multi-instrumentalist Reinis Jaunais, Nest presents a dynamic display of world music — featuring a variety of Latvian-made instruments that include guitar, kokle, tongue drum, and synths. The guitar work throughout is particularly engrossing, spanning both traditional folk beauty and more inventive techniques, lending an additional rhythmic edge.
A captivating album opener, “Viesuļvētra / Hurricane” intrigues right away with gentle rhythms and a simmering ambience — traversing thereafter into an expressive array of melodic guitar work. Brisk strums and a frolicking lead intermingle with the utmost immersion, culminating in ardent invigoration in its bursting finale. “Nest” follows with an impressive blend of quaint folk lushness and orchestral heart-tugging; the strings arrangements throughout exude a warming, harmonious reflection to the plucky guitar tones.
Nest continues in a variety of successes thereafter, particularly with “Sapnī / Dream.” Featuring an eclectic tonal array that spans from delicately serene to foreboding darkness, the track ventures seamlessly from calming acoustics/strings interplay to a more creeping shift, where brass and strings intermingle menacingly — though delectably so. The clanging intensity of “Rave” and the playful stomps of finale “Saulē / Sun” then cap off Nest in fully satiating form, marking a thoroughly successful release from Reinis Jaunais.
The album also features a number of internationally noted Latvian musicians, including: cellist Erna Daugaviete, drummer Andris Buiķis, double bass player Jānis Rubiks, trumpet player Harijs Ločmelis, and electronic music producer EIII.
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“Sapnī / Dream” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
