Release Date: February 4, 2026
Label: Youngbloods
Website
NTHNL (Jacob Rudin) has created a fantastic musical omnibus of sound, color, and thoughts on What Kind of World Is This. He jumps around the musical map, covering new age, ambient, progressive, and jazz, among others. Get ready for a musical coloring book, and you hold the crayons; the artist provides the book.
“Awakenings pt 1” is an ambient piece running nearly five minutes, and it’s a beautiful way to start off this musical journey. Layers of synths and flourishes of gorgeous flute playing permeate the ambient atmospheres created.
“Awakenings pt 2” continues this spiritual awakening through sounds. The tempo is decidedly more upbeat, with percussion driving the synths as they flutter in rhythmic bursts. As the energy shifts, it brings light into your consciousness; however, this time it’s a bit over two minutes.
“Tiresias Rock” has a funky intro, then the flute comes in in a ’70s jazz style. Then a saxophone enters the mix, giving it a more defined jazz texture as the synth continues in the background, adding more essential elements. When the flute and sax meld, it gets even better, sounding like a cool modern-day jazz ensemble. This track is a full step ahead of the previous tracks. It reminded me of some of the great jazz fusion I discovered back in the ’80s.
“(re)possession” starts off spacey, gradually adding a beat and transitions, moving the sound toward a more fluid direction as the instrumentation builds. Behind an upfront beat and heavy synth, the flute is there, making its mark but subtly.
“Descent” sounds exactly as it should. Picture some sort of aircraft landing gradually on the surface of an unknown planet in an older sci-fi movie.
“Realization” sounds like a logical follow-up to the previous track, with its tempo and synth use. Now that you have landed, all the realizations have hit home.
“Hate Creator” has the most aggressive title so far, and you would expect the music to reflect that. It eventually gathers some momentum, sounding like a prog rocker with the heavy keyboards. The steady backbeat adds a sense of balance, but the point is made.
“Torture Temptation” is the magnum opus, clocking in at 6:36. The more aggressive concept flows with the implications of the title. There is a lot of time to work on transitions, and it works. The flute tempers the instrumentation and massages the tempos with mellow bursts of energy, while the keys add their ambiance, and the steady backbeat sounds almost tribal as the energy continually shifts. This is a very complex track with a lot going on simultaneously, but it works well.
“Coverting the infidels” is an interesting title. When I first looked at it, I thought it was “Converting,” an optical illusion, and if you are dyslexic, well, enough said. So, right off the bat, I have many thoughts. Then the music begins with an air of mystery, and as the composition builds, it sounds like a soundtrack to a Middle Eastern espionage movie. What a great song with some very cool atmospheres and effects. One of my favorites.
“Destruction of the institutes” makes me think this is turning into a dystopian novel. Or is the artist suggesting that this is what is currently going on? There is a logical progression of the track titles, and it’s coming together and starting to make sense, which happens further back in the tracks. The tempo picks up, with another great backbeat, as the synths, with their various sounds, emerge and propel the music like a musical train of thought.
“face up, twilight (feat Nakama)” brings things full circle back to the mellow, spiritual sounds of the flute, with jazz overtones floating through the air. Your senses are taking an immediate off-ramp to the tranquil place. And for the first time, you get vocals, and it’s a rap. This is a total paradigm shift in song structure with the addition of the lyrics, but the music holds true. Then, for yet another change, the vocals change in timbre to be less rap-like. Wow, what a masterful display of virtuosity.
“A Tyrant’s Mercy” features a narrative in which a futuristic deep-enhanced voice tells a person they have been cured of the demons that possessed them. Which you might think is the end of the story, but…
“Return to Earth” makes sense as you have the bowels of some hell and are sent on your way, cured of the demons, as you set foot back onto earth once again. The music has an upbeat, positive feeling with a very different sound. The flute is there; however, the rhythms are ever changing, and the cool breeze of that instrument adds a nice ambiance, as do the synths. A bluesy harmonica runs throughout, making this one of the most distinctive tracks yet, while the birds chirping at the end give a sense of balance and peace.
The title track, “What kind of world is this,” finishes out the novel set to music. The funky backbeat is the driving force as the flute, synths, and strings come together for a lovely ending. You feel relaxed and renewed now after taking one of the most diverse and interesting musical trips you have had in some time.
What Kind of World Is This gives many moments to pause and reflect on how to answer that question. This is a world created by music, and the track titles give you a good lead into what each may be about. Your job as the listener is to put it all together, like a puzzle. Like any music, you are the interpreter. What you hear and how it translates is your choice; however, I certainly can see a message in this music: an artist letting you know that he sees many things wrong in this world, and it gives a proper frame of reference as you move through the story.
NTHNL (Jacob Rudin) has crafted an audaciously eclectic, predominantly instrumental album that weaves together new age serenity, ambient atmospheres, jazz sophistication, and progressive complexity. This sonic tapestry captivates listeners from first note to last, inviting contemplation while refusing to settle into predictable patterns.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
February 2, 2026
Tracks:
01. Awakenings pt 1 4:46
02. Awakenings pt 2 2:22
03. Tiresias Rock 3:48
04. (re)possession 3:01
05. Descent 1:27
06. Realization 1:55
07. Hate Creator 3:20
08. Torture Temptation 6:36
09. Coverting the infidels 4:11
10. Destruction of the institutes 4:00
11. face up, twilight (feat Nakama)
12. A Tyrant's Mercy 2:11
13. Return to Earth 4:57
14. What kind of world is this 2:47
