Jana Hunter - There's No Home

This is Devendra Banhart-approved and encouraged folk music (so called because it's made by folk) that uses stripped down and simplistic instrumentation to create songs that are soothing and sublime yet dark and severe. Emerging from the Texan hippy community, Jana Hunter's lyrics draw upon the sense of cosmic consciousness and loss that can only come from all the moonshine and hallucinogens that such a background should have surely provided. Equally her voice is often wonderfully imperfect: wavering at all the best moments and creating a subtle discord that makes everything all the more engaging. Particular highlights are the Bardo Pond-esque Movies, in which gently wielded synthesizer feedback dances around acoustic guitar strums and droned vocals, or the haunting apocalypticisms of Pinnacle. Those seeking an explosive hippy freak-out would probably be left wanting, but Jana shows that weird folk doesn't need to be quantum leaps away from a gentle three chord refrain and a nice melody. [Ali Maloney]