AVR Releases Left-Field Debut Album 'Salvation'

Record shatters genre boundaries

Anna von Raison, better known by her stage name AVR, has crafted an avant-garde pop record for her arresting debut.

Defying traditional genre confines, 'Salvation' is the culmination of four years' work. Beginning her musical journey in the realm of academic jazz, training at the Amsterdam Conservatory, and with Jason Moran in New York, it is only natural that this influence is clear throughout the record. Simultaneously, AVR's innate desire to challenge tradition can also be felt across the album's 12 tracks, which span jazz and neo-soul to ambient and trip-hop.

The album opens with 'Acknowledgement. Stay Soft,' an ambient instrumental piece inspired by John Coltrane’s 'A Love Supreme.' As the album unfolds, tracks like 'Confirm Humanity' and 'A Closer Touch, A Plan of Art' explore deep emotional themes against lush orchestral backdrops. AVR’s ability to weave diverse musical elements together shines in songs like 'SKIN' and 'Falling High,' where gospel choirs, Motown basslines, and cinematic strings converge.

'Stars In The Room,' closes the record, and offers a glimpse into AVR’s future musical direction. The song transforms a Duke Ellington classic into a modern hip-hop track, showcasing her talent for reimagining the past while pushing boundaries.

The boundary-pushing, left-field nature of 'Salvation' not only establishes AVR as a formidable contemporary artist but also as a visionary shaping the future of pop music.