The whole of human history compounds itself into this very moment that we are all forever stuck in. That funny feeling that we’re teetering on the brink of something, or walking beneath something big about to come crashing down, can feel inescapable.
Unless, of course, you escape it.
NOVA ONE’s new record how to kiss takes on the intriguing role of sonic remote viewing, dragging out and living in vivid memories that are always playing in real time somewhere else, happening in the only way they could have ever happened to make now. The album reminds me how easy it is to slip out of the present and into the physical, colorful world of memory. That far-off gaze allows the ever-replaying moments of our past to slip into the present stream, forcing the now to the side and offering something else. Maybe it's fantasy, maybe it’s misremembered and inaccurate, but it’s there and happening and it’s yours.
For the mindfulness-escapist, NOVA ONE helps facilitate the deep dive into the elsewhere. With a playful oscillation from track to track between minimalist and maximalist, Roz Raskin and company offer a field trip through vibrant emotions happening deep inside, not now, not here, but in that airy space just above our heads. A place we’re invited to meet them and take a look around.
“A big part of the sonic story of this album,” Roz says, “is the interplay between organic and synthetic elements.”
I hear how to kiss as an album that explores the deep physicality of love in its many forms and how those feelings always exist. The past happens and the future feels decided already, playing out in what we do now. All three live in the feeling. The 2008 feelings and the “emo cowboy” love both remain present and ever-playing depending on when we choose to pay attention.
The album carries elements of Lorde’s Pure Heroine, The Anniversary, and of course Neil Young. It leans more acoustic than previous releases, relying on the bones of the songs. The additional sounds feel playful and surprising, layering physical emotion throughout. Listening to Roz remember 2008 brings me back to 2008. With each memory they share, I find memories of my own. It becomes less about deciphering who Roz is addressing and more an invitation to feel those things too, now, in real time.
Musings on NOVA ONE’s how to kiss:
Basketball Court: Electronic, low-key drums and a flashback to 2008. A yearning for millennial simplicity. Captures the tension between the feelings we have and the feelings we think we should have.
I Can’t Remember Your Face: Upbeat strumming and minimalist drums. Feelings outlast faces. A slow build leads to the return of the Neil Young-style guitar solo.
How to Kiss: Acoustic-driven with deep strumming. “When I think about it now I was lucky.” Dreamy vocals and a slow-build to a sparkling eighties-style guitar solo.
Risky: A night-driving song with rolling riffs and stream-of-consciousness memory. “I think this song is a good example of the minimalism of this record,” says Roz. “Very simple elements building on each other.”
Freckles: A slow-dance ballad for the mindful end of the world. “This is one of my favorite songs on the album,” Roz notes. “Sometimes you can say a lot with very little.”
Chlorine: Visceral and physical. The heavy drumbeats feel more like heartbeats than dance rhythms. “A lot of people have described this song as sounding underwater,” Roz says.
Steven: Daydream-like and minimal. A two-chord throughline that keeps things interesting. “My hope is that every Steve in the world thinks this song is about them,” says Roz.
Heavenly: Bass piano notes carry the meditation forward.
Weed: Playful bass and minimal drums ground the album’s tone.
Emo Cowboy: A folk-leaning track with Harvest Moon energy and midwest emo heart.
All songs were written and arranged by Roz Raskin and recorded at Big Nice Studio between 2023 and 2025. The album releases on Community Records on March 6, 2026. Listeners can order the album and explore more at ilovenovaone.com.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here