Offie Mag

Tru Thoughts are welcoming MATTERS UNKNOWN to the label with 'The Wind and the Forest', the first glimpse into a new body of work from composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Enser.

Described by Enser as “celestial blues wrapped in contemporary global grooves”, MATTERS UNKNOWN sits somewhere between spiritual jazz, psychedelic soul, ambient composition and global rhythmic traditions. Enser draws on years of collaboration, travel and deep listening to create something that feels more organic than simply throwing a few genres into the same pot.

'The Wind and the Forest' is a particularly fitting introduction to that approach. The track was built around two recordings: wind moving through a pine forest in Scotland and a layered chorus of duduk played by Enser using circular breathing. Those recordings form the architecture of the piece, with melody and harmony gradually emerging from the sounds of breath and the landscape around it.

The track was written in a single session with composer and multi-instrumentalist Miles Spilsbury, known for his work with Puma Blue and Physics House Band. The pair have known each other since studying together, and their shared approach to composition makes the collaboration a particularly natural one.

For Enser, the track is part of a wider creative philosophy centred around listening and stripping away the layers that can get in the way of creativity. “My creative practice has always been about peeling back the layers of ego and socialised constructs; beneath which an untold body of inspiration lies,” he explains.

There's plenty of experience behind that idea, too. Since releasing Deepings: A Song of Spirit, Enser has performed across India and South Africa, toured the UK with Nubiyan Twist, undertaken artist residencies and developed large-scale work exploring disability, spirituality and ethics.

With 'The Wind and the Forest', MATTERS UNKNOWN begin their Tru Thoughts chapter with a piece that feels less concerned with fitting neatly into one particular genre and more interested in what happens when you simply stop and listen.

You can buy ‘The Wind and the Forest' here.

Words by Louis Rowland