Nomé Naku manifests unprecedented and enrapturing artistry in her eponymous album.

Sculpting esoteric soundscapes effortlessly, Nomé Naku is downright fascinating— her titular album, which came out last Friday, acts as a panoramic extension to an already burgeoning discography. Her modus operandi throws cliched pop music norms out the window, choosing instead to venture into uncharted territories with an untethered fusing of diverse styles, still sounding ever so intimate and heart-stirring. 

It's no wonder that Sierra Bohnet, also known as Nomé Naku, has started attracting widespread recognition among listeners and tastemakers worldwide. Curious and imaginative from her prodigal years (during which she constructed a language, which in turn propelled her musicality later), the versatile moniker has accomplished staggering growth on all streaming platforms, including laudable placements on several official playlists (such as Spotify's SALT playlist and Amazon's Neon Chill to name a few). Her journey began with the radiant alt-pop EP "Ëradon" (2020), a prominent debut after which she has continuously set higher standards as a producer and singer-songwriter in subsequent releases.

There's a bold and independent force driving her latest endeavor which ultimately makes it so arresting. Shifting focus to darker, brooding, and futuristic settings, Nome Naku's proficiency as a chanteuse and composer is bafflingly good as she belts out sorrows born of heartbreak and solitude. Synchronously powering those performances are iridescent, dynamic compositions that ebb and flow humanely with these moving emotions, hitting right in the feels. Strongly motivated by modern alt/electro-pop trailblazers such as Grimes and Aurora, the following songs openly encompass outlier features; from employing lush Middle Eastern chord progressions to ethnic drums, the soundset designed here is nothing short of remarkable.

Right from the sublime opening act "Nome," we are introduced to towering harmonies and cascading waves of stabbing bassline— the trademark use of contrasting aspects (akin to the interplay between 'yin' and 'yang') ubiquitous through the fourteen-track LP. With verdant choruses and pulsating, vibrant arrangements, tracks like "Everytime I Cry" and "Feel Human" furnish hypnagogic moments. Prominent addition "Sing Me To Sleep" is bedecked by both serene and cinematic moments, turning into an atmospheric and otherworldly spectacle towards the end. 

More delicate, nevertheless impactful creations are positioned across the album. In the vulnerable and heartfelt ballad "To Love So Gently," the vocals are a salve to shattered hearts, serenading with a delicate and caressing timbre, layered generously with bittersweet, lustrous synths. On the contrary, the collaboration "CLIMB" (with Llynks) fuses squashed industrial sound design with a seductive showcase of vocals. Empowered with even further left-field ambitions, the album's denouement has notable tracks like "Dunes," which dabbles freely in psytrance-type buoyant rhythms paired with an irresistible melody.

Listen to "Nomé Naku" on Spotify, and stay tuned with her on Instagram.