For a while now, the artists that create their music in the so-called New Age category, have been making attempts to get rid of that ‘dreaded’ tag that has been plaguing the genre since its heyday in the ’80s.
The key here is to try to bring in not only more musical variation, but also an element of instrumental virtuosity that has often been lacking with those artists that are strictly seeking to create a certain mood with their listeners.
Brooklyn musician and producer Jacob “NTHNL” Rudin, who makes his music simply as NTHNL, can certainly rank among those artists that are trying to bring innovations into the genre.
This is particularly evident in his latest release, Cosmic Flute Rides Again, where this classically trained musician tries and succeeds, to bring in more than just ‘calming mood music.’
First of all, Rudin has obviously mastered the flute well, approaching the instrument not only from its classical music side but also, from the jazz and folk one. At the same time, he also injects electronic beats throughout the album here, giving the music not only pace but a much-needed variation, the lack of which was something New Age was always criticized for.
As Rudin explains “In my music, I always spend a little bit of time in the shadows, but I like to return always. I think it’s super important to explore the dark, while always reaffirming the light.”
And it is something he does quite effectively here, turning Cosmic Flute Rides Again into more than just yet another New Age album.
