Johanna Warren’s new album, nūmūn, is out on May 19 via Team Love. On its first single, “Less Traveled”, the Portland, Oregon artist creates a dreamlike experience that mirrors the unmistakable feeling of an ephemeral walk through the woods. Created entirely with acoustic instruments and found objects played by Johanna and her engineer Bella Blasko in an empty apartment unit, it’s a celestial folk song with strange yet sophisticated time signatures. It’s an apt introduction to nūmūn, which uses melancholic open tunings and impressive fingerpicking runs to create a sound that’s rich in sensual language and meditative honesty. In her own words, it’s also dedicated to the moon: “This album is dedicated to the moon: by honoring her phrases, I am restoring balance to my body and making peace with the cycles of all natural things.”
