The natural spirit of Parra for Cuva’s “Majoure”

by Irene Lo

The number of electronic producers that stumble upon world fusion while discovering a stylistic voice of their own are sprouting up in this global village we live in, and we’re beginning to notice with our wallets. The posterboys of the phenomenon must be Seattle’s, ODESZA, whose debut studio release this year, In Return, opened at number one on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Album Chart as well as number one on US iTunes’ Electronic Chart. Artists like Vindata or Tala are just a few of the artists that also take inspiration from ancient eastern cultures, whether it’s reflected in their project name, sound, or frequent collaborators – it’s a funny coincidence that the Indian-based Monsoonsiren lends his support both to ODESZA and Parra for Cuva’s debut long players this year.

Strip away the superficial similarities, and you will find that Nicolas Demuth (the creator of Parra for Cuva) is an instrumental producer who most likely wouldn’t touch EDM with a ten-foot-pole, if his opinions about Backstreet Boys, DJ requests or having his music mashed to “Gangnam Style” are anything to go by. Raised in a small town in Lower Saxony, Demuth grew up learning to play classical and jazz piano before he relocated to Berlin for sound design. His roots suggest the significance the delicate, gentle chords delivered in a downtempo manner have on his music.

“Devi”, featuring the Los Angeles-based artist, Nieve, flutters joyfully along at a comfortable speed that never tries to push us too hard, to corner us into a positive or negative emotion, but pursues a peaceful medium. And it’s a welcome relief to albums that can come off cribbed from a crush diary. The innocent, balanced piano keys in “Unfold” are sweet and tender, almost wistful and naïve, but PFC is careful to never let the emotional pull take a turn for the maudlin. There’s elegance, and grace to his soft melodies that create a soothing effect on the soul.

But while that may be the case, it’s tracks that feature guest vocalists like Casey K on “Majouré”, or Monsoonsiren on “Champa” that stand out from the instrumental ones that, because of their even-handed nature, are not easy to pick from the crowd after a while. Given that PFC is a project that started attracting attention with the partnership of vocalist and longtime friend Anna Naklab, this doesn’t come as a shock. Two EPs from 2013, Fading Nights and Something Near, used Naklab extensively on the records, and “Wicked Games” is equally memorable for the same reason.

The exoticism in Majouré lies in its natural spirit, making it a record that transports the listener to a greener, rejuvenating world, where the morning light shines in through the bedroom curtains, and the dew glistens on the leaves.

Digital release set to drop on December 1, 2014