New Music: Ana Caravelle Enchants Listeners with ‘Basic Climb’

22-year-old Ana Caravelle combines harp and voice in her vibrant debut album 'Basic Climb'. Photo by Spencer Lowell.

From the first notes of opening track “Where Have You Been?”, Ana Caravelle captures one’s attention, inviting her listeners into a world of beautifully crafted melodies that remain just as fresh after the first, second, or tenth listen. Her debut album Basic Climb creates a musical atmosphere that is both whimsical and mysterious, full of luscious sounds and colors. An incredible lyricist, Ana’s songs evoke scenes rich with imagery, weaving stories over a unique blend of strings, voice, and acoustic instrumentation. After many listens, I must say that my personal favorites include the mellow, autumnal vibe of “Basic Climb” and adventurous narrative of “Black Canyon”.

Having grown up in the culturally diverse city of Los Angeles, Ana Caravelle (real name Anahita Navab) cites a number of influences, from Dinah Washington to Icelandic music. The 22 year old multi-instrumentalist has been developing her musical abilities since the age of 5, which includes writing songs and performing publicly around LA. Her first main instruments consisted of piano and guitar, until she began learning the harp, which she has since fully embraced in both the classical realm and – luckily for us – in live performance.

Recorded partially in Ana’s own bedroom and produced by her boyfriend Ryan York (known as Asura in the LA beat scene), Basic Climb has mainly been the product of a small group of extremely talented individuals. Ana Caravelle and Asura are a part of the independent record label Non Projects, a diverse collective of new music founded by local musician/producer Brian Simon (a.k.a. Anenon). Basic Climb is available on vinyl and iTunes through the Non Projects website.

To promote the album, Ana and friends have played a number of venues throughout LA, including the Eagle Rock Music Festival last weekend. The upcoming record release party is not to be missed, as Ana Caravelle’s music is truly a unique and inspiring treat for all who get the chance to hear it.

Basic Climb Record Release Party
Where: The Bootleg Theater; 2220 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles
When: Sunday, October 10; 7 – 11 pm
Price: $10, presale tickets here (21+)
Also performing: Dntel, The Long Lost

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