Nailah Hunter turns her compositions towards the spiritual realm. A pastor's daughter, she once said that her upbringing left her with “Christian faith”, but her music is based more on the principles of astrology and mysticism. The Los Angeles-based artist was singing in the choir when a harpist joined their show one year. moved by the ethereal tones and regal beauty of the instrument (“Even the way it looks, the crown is pointing to the heavens,” she said in an interview with KEXP). As a harpist for sound baths and meditation sessions, Hunter's relationship with the instrument has shaped not only the way she composes, but also the way she approaches the tedium of everyday life. strongly believes that the frequencies emanating from the harp have healing properties.
Hunter's six song EP Spells, released in 2020, was written to evoke reflection and tranquility, spinning ambient, experimental and new-age elements into gilded strands. For her full length debut Lovegaze, the musician sketched out songs on a borrowed Celtic harp in a small town on the south coast of England, later enlisting London producer Cicely Goulder to sharpen and polish their edges. Throughout the 40-minute album, Hunter comes across as a skilled player and relaxed yet imaginative composer. Instead of succumbing to the often stilted tropes of new-age music – raucous melodies, pan flutes, jingles – it cleverly incorporates elements of contemporary R&B, pop and jazz.
“Through the Din”, with its looping and layered vocals, looping rhythms and icy synth jitters, is reminiscent of early Portishead, while Hunter's falsetto shines through its moody atmosphere like headlights cutting through the fog. Goulder fleshes out the song, adding strangeness and complexity with a series of piano keys that ground Hunter's harp skyward. Hunter could easily play it safe, blasting the listener with big scales and good vibes, but Lovegaze suggests that he is interested in enhancing form and genre.
Hunter's compositions are spacious and dynamic, perfected with Goulder's meticulous production choices. He handles every plucked harp string, every silken thread of Hunter's voice, with the utmost delicacy. On the title track, Hunter and Goulder combine baroque balladry with abstract jazz, smearing Hunter's harp chords and stacked harmonies with reverb and letting crisp snare beats hit the surface. The unusual details—cracked guitar lines, slanted alto flute trills—contrast Hunter's willowy voice, accentuating his elegance without overwhelming it.
