Instrumentals are not a defunct idea in the twenty-first century music industry, and I’m utterly excited about it. Los Angeles recording artist Nite Jewel has started up a brand new project that veers slightly from her typical synth-pop sound, an instrumental experiment released under the pseudonym of MAIA.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat

Taking time to share her latest project on her Facebook page, Nite Jewel has released a single off of the upcoming album. The album, 29, features an eclectic blend of electronic and analog based sounds, a staple of the Los Angeles native, but strips away the funky back beats and melodic vocals. What’s left instead is something that feels like what Enya could have done if she stopped singing altogether and suddenly developed an enthusiasm for 80’s electronica. While this may seem like a musical disaster waiting to happen, the end result is something that simultaneously relaxes the mind and soothes the soul. This is a sound that is difficult to categorize, but putting music like this in a box is missing the point entirely. Purely instrumental albums are something of a rarity in pop music nowadays, but what Nite Jewel is attempting through MAIA is perhaps the boldest attempt to break the trend thus far. Be sure to check out the album here.