Ava Luna's self-titled album is an introspective and grounded collection that marks a significant evolution for the quartet. The acclaimed group - now consisting of Carlos Hernandez, Julian Fader, Ethan Bassford, and Felicia Douglass - has stripped back their sound to it's core. Following the departure of Kye (fka Becca Kauffman) in 2019, Ava Luna re-emerges with a focus on the fundamental elements of drums, bass, and the dual vocals of Carlos and Felicia.
The new album is decidedly Earth-bound, drawing heavily on the members' shared experiences and their deep roots in New York City. This back-to-basics approach was a conscious decision to move away from the expansive, "cosmic" feel of their previous album, Moon 2. Instead, the album delves into the nuances of everyday life, exploring themes of frustration and exhaustion that come with the mundane realities of work and survival, but also the joy and power in moving through life in community and chosen family, and finding precarious rootedness. For instance, "Lasting Impression" captures the feeling of being fed up at a job, while "Math Money Job" offers a playful, body-conscious take on a friendly reunion, in the form of a schoolyard chant. At the heart of the album is the rhythmic interplay between Julian Fader's drums and Ethan Bassford's bass, forming a "close to the earth, melting into the sidewalk" foundation. This deliberate focus on the rhythm section was a key part of their creative process, ensuring the songs could stand strong in their most stripped-down format before any additional layers were introduced. Julian specifically cites Soul Coughing as an influence, particularly their use of crude sampling, which can be heard scattered throughout the record, including on "Frame of Us," where their powerful rhythm section. Moving beyond traditional lead and backup roles, Carlos and Felicia's voices dance, weave, and harmonize, often blending into a singular, almost supernatural entity. This meticulous and thoughtful approach to vocal arrangement allows for a wider variety of melodic outcomes and requires a high degree of collaborative thought. On "Archive," their voices are fragmented, weaving in and out of synchronicity, mirroring the meticulous organization of an archival system. While the album's core is mindfully minimalist, the production is far from sparse. Legendary percussionist Larry McDonald (Gil Scott-Heron, King Tubby) joins the band on congas and percussion, while subtle orchestrations, faint drifts of piano, a touch of Carlos's famous guitar noise, and samples from his parents' obscure records, punctuate the landscape, creating a rich yet uncluttered sound. Their evolution in approach allows for careful refinement while capturing singular moments and happy accidents. The album also touches on universal experiences, like the pandemic-era disorientation in "Social Diving," which Julian describes as his best Digable Planets impression. "My Walk" is an homage to Brooklyn's rich tapestry of immigrant communities - a journey from Carlos's apartment in Flatbush to Felicia's in Sunset Park. In which snippets of at least a half dozen different languages drift into earshot. Ultimately, Ava Luna's self-titled album is a testament to almost twenty years of shared musical sensibility, now distilled into it's barest elements. The album paints an intimate yet exaggerated portrait of NYC, a cacophony of jagged post-punk, funk, and dance beats giving way to lush strings and spacious minimalism. Songs like "Your Man" showcase a raw urge to call out toxic behavior, while "Fancy" champions holding onto dignity in the face of adversity. It's a sound that is both resilient and reflective, offering a wisdom that only years of experience could bring, proving that even as the city and the band evolve, Ava Luna continues to take listeners somewhere urgent and new.