The anticipation for the NAVVI’s debut album has not abated since the Seattle-based lo-fi R&B duo dropped their first single back in 2013. Now the album is available as an exclusive stream below, and from the first note to the last, the wait has been worth it.
The lush atmosphere of Omni was developed in the last 10 months by producer Brad Boettger and vocalist Kristin Henry. Under a wash of reverb, Boettger’s layers hypnotic melodic sequences and swaggering beats with alluring guitar work. Kristin Henry yearning vocals evoke the noir-like quality of Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. Each track plays out like a shadowy romance, with standouts such as “Polychrome” and “What Reason Do We Need” inviting the listener in only to evaporate like a dream.
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“We created the record over the course of 10 months,” told THUMP via email. “Early on we wanted to focus on expanding the palate of instrumentation that we use, trying different structures and recording techniques. We wanted to be exploratory in our workflow while still being true to our fully collaborative beginnings. The record, in our minds, is open to interpretation purposely but feels more relational than any of our previous work. Our hope is that you can come back to the record several times and feel like something new reveals itself.”
Omni is out today with Hush Hush Records. Stream it below. And if you are in Seattle next week, the duo will have their release party on June 8 at Barboza.
