Vocal-based ambient music is a very particular niche, one that houses some of the genre’s greatest vibes and achievements. It takes outstanding courage and a steadfast dedication to this aesthetic choice to venture out into these waters, and only the finest voices who take the plunge will rise to the surface. Enter Jolanda Moletta, a multi-media artist and vocalist from Italy, whose resplendent sophomore release Night Caves (out February 12 via the ever-graceful Whitelabrecs) caught my ear earlier this year. Her use of layered harmonies already shone brightly on 2022’s Nine Spells, but her latest work sees her elevating her craft to a new level.
Her journey towards the music that eventually became Night Caves, recorded in her native Italy after years spent living abroad, led Moletta to explore naturally resonant spaces within the regions of Piedmont and Liguria. Or, in other words, the titular caves. Sea caves, to be exact. And mountains.
Over the span of eight months, Moletta amassed an assortment of photographs, video footage, drawings, and (obviously) field recordings within these ancient environments; she also saw it fit to compose and perform melodies dedicated to each location. This process eventually culminated in the creation of Night Caves. Says Moletta herself about the places visited in the making of her new album:
‘The landscape I encountered was unlike anything I’d ever seen on our planet’s surface. It actually felt like being on another planet. It was as though I had entered a sacred and secret space, far from the anxieties and worries of our modern world. Some of these caves have taken millions of years to form. There hasn’t been much change in these spaces since our ancestors explored them thousands of years ago.‘
As much adoration as I hold for Night Caves, it’s only partially why we’re here today. Earlier this year, while gearing up to release her latest creation, Moletta returned to a handful of the caves that inspired its inception, seeking to manifest a companion piece to her music in the form of a short documentary. Night Caves: Journey into the Depths gives us the unique opportunity of seeing with our own eyes the spaces that sparked her vision, to tread where Moletta has taken the first steps towards this magnificent opus of a record. As her audience, we now get to join in on the transformative journey she took to enable this influx of beauty and creativity.
‘My goal with this film is to take the audience on a journey, allowing them to experience the awe and beauty of these natural spaces. I hope to share the magic and emotions I felt while creating the album. Conveying the power and beauty of these ancient spaces through a screen is no easy feat, but I hope to spark curiosity in others and inspire them to begin their own exploration—an inner journey of their own.‘
Asserting that ‘caves are the birthplace of spirituality and art‘, Moletta believes ‘that by immersing ourselves in these ancient spaces, we can reconnect to the primordial creative roots of humanity‘; throughout the eight minutes and 28 seconds of this mini-documentary, the viewer gains an understanding of the deep, resonant connection Moletta must’ve felt in these time-worn yet timeless vortices of creative energy. You can watch the full video below, exclusively at Everything Is Noise:
Expertly soundtracked by the musical fragments harvested from these places, Night Caves: Journey into the Depths is sure to upend your previous understanding of Moletta’s work and guide you towards a deeper, more spiritual reading.
In addition to this documentary, Moletta will release a limited edition print of one of the album artworks on her Bandcamp. If that sounds like something you might want to get in on, feel free to follow the link provided to you. Night Caves can be streamed and purchased here. Follow Jolanda Moletta on Instagram to keep in touch with her artistic journey.
Artist images courtesy of P. Bessé
