Joel Ansett - The Nature Of Us (Self-Released)

Joel Ansett is an innovative musician out of Denver, Colorado with a trademark blend of folk and R&B. In 2012, he release his first EP, The Living Room, and in the following years he released a handful of singles; but only now has he just completed his first full-length, The Nature Of Us.

Influenced by like-minded legends such as Bill Withers and Damien Rice, the album is an immersive hybrid of soul and acoustic guitars. It’s full of sunny pop, but it’s not without depth and Ansett exudes a charming personality that just naturally flows outwards.

The strength of The Nature Of Us is that it doesn’t try too hard to be something more than it is—a collection of pop songs—and in a counter-intuitive way of doing things, actually manages to elevate itself into the realm of true art. At first glance, songs like “Already In Love,” merely seem like standard smooth soul fare, but only upon giving them another look do you realize just how perfectly executed they are.

Ansett is augmented on the record by a collection of session musicians, but it is, ironically, when he is the most alone and stripped to the bone on songs such as “Tragedy Is Not the End,” and “Turn to Gold” that he truly shines. The Nature Of Us is truly a heartfelt collection of great tunes, and it is out November 23rd.