Album Review: Remina – In The Loving Arms Of A Heretic

Two things are immediately obvious when you first listen to the latest album from Reno, Nevada based Remina.

First up is how eclectic it is in drawing from multiple genres and timeframes, and the second is how cohesive In The Loving Arms Of A Heretic is from start to finish.

Salvation is Ever Craving sets the tone of the album, with lyrics that hit like a heavyweight boxer set within a soundscape that is nominally indie but with vocals and samples that shift the track towards electronica and rap. It’s also the first time that the double-bass-style bass line reveals itself, a sonic and emotional wake-up call for the listener.  

In turn, Wanna hints at Big Beat, but also a similar cut-up and fusion of rock, electronic, and sampling that made Since I Left You by The Avalanches such a ground-breaking album, but also incorporates subsequent stylistic shifts.

As dreamy and fuzzy as the album may be at times, like Spiritualised with a four/four beat, it also hits reality head-on – Carus, which also features RicaCalientita, draws again from that bass line, the Funky Drummer break, and a vocal performance by RicaCalientita that is reminiscent of Joy Crookes to deliver a serious message.

Remina’s own vocals, along with those recurring sonic motifs, thread together an album that finds itself taking from sources as diverse as classic 70s rock and Northern Soul. But the real art and beauty of it all is how timeless and how fluid it all sounds.

In The Loving Arms Of A Heretic can be downloaded on Bandcamp and is streaming on Apple Music. For artist updates and other listening alternatives the project’s music, check out Remina on Instagram and TikTok.