Having perfected the idea of unity in a song, husband and wife duo Amarante showcase what it is like to be in love and share a passion for music, crafting a harmonious sound in every one of the delicately-thought-out songs off of their new album Udana Prana. Creating music since 2011, Jysi and Josh Hewitt (Amarante) have honed in on their unique style through four releases.
With each release, they dive into new pools of sound, adding various degrees of depth behind their synced vocals. Their newest style stems from folk inspiration, giving off a fresh and personal aroma, where guitar slides and the overall raw sound create a mellow earthy ambiance. Whether listening to their new album Udana Prana in its entirety or dissecting specific songs, the sincerity in their musical style will leave a lasting impression.
Upon first listening to Amarante, don't be surprised if you are immediately taken by "The Manic", a great introduction to the duo that builds on its emotional theme with a supporting cast of echoing strings and purposely despairing vocal performances. Using empty space to break the song into two sections, "The Manic" flourishes with a gripping hook that demands attention — it isn't until the latter half that you realize the surrounding sound is only made up of stings, vocals and claps.
In "Control" it becomes obvious that the duo's vocal delivery and lyrics are derived from past experience as they are muttered in a convincing fashion. The lyrical content works with strong tones to recreate frequent occurrences in a failing relationship, building off of the repeating "I don't want to believe you." Overall, "Control" climbs into an expressive yearning to be free from worry or even commitment as a whole.
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"The Wanderer" also centralizes around the theme of control, or the lack thereof, musically describing and expressing getting lost in your own mind. The song grows around the idea that when you are without a sense of direction you can get lost in new and exciting things. Climaxing in an exploring groove that implodes off of a heavy sting and infectious flute breakdown into a bongo-carried break, "The Wanderer" quickly jumps right back into the infectious hook, maneuvering Amarante's sound through peaks and valleys.
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Do yourself a favor and pick up Amarante's new album, or any of their previous releases on their Bandcamp here.
