Music Review: What Kind of World is This? by NTHNL

by #LizCampese

What Kind of World is This? (2026) by NTHNL

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to write a music review, so I am excited to write one now for the just-released 14-track album What Kind of World is This? by the one and only NTHNL. That’s right, kids, the flute guy is back. We last touched base in 2023 and, judging by the new work, things have changed. For one, he’s on the YOUNGBLOODS label now. Plus, his new work differs in tone and ambiance from his last album. Oh, and he’s moved to Queens.

So, let’s dive right in. When I first learned of NTHNL, he was an avant-garde musician with a rather unique style that combines jazz-fusion, experimental electronica, and some great percussion effects. That still rings true today. What changed, though, is perspective. If the last album was both “joyous and absurd,” the new work is described as a dense "vibrant, dark and twisted" soundworld. Aha.

Indeed, the album has a theme. What Kind of World is This? is not a retelling of Dante’s Inferno, exactly; rather, the two-part multimedia project — a concept album and a full-length feature film — serves as a "metamorphosed rebuke” of today’s world. Check it: the story follows a hero who transitions from a wistful reflection at home to a state of untimely possession by a nefarious prophet, eventually descending into a dark, fiery hell. Fair.

Let’s look at the evidence. The first two tracks, “Awakenings” 1 & 2, are lean, calm flutes over nice but lively percussion. The beat picks up on “Tiresias Rock," but it’s like a party at a wellness resort and is actually very catchy. “(Re)possession” has a bit of a sinister feel, even a little celestial. But not hellish; that’s closer to “Descent,” which literally sounds like falling into an abyss. Interestingly, “Realization” sounds more like floating in space; the percussion is like asteroids — kinda random, but with method to the madness.

I like “Hate Creator,” despite the name; it's kind of like LCD Soundsystem invited a flutist to a jam session. It’s also got an 80s car-chase-thriller-type section in the center of everything, at least that's how it sounds to me. “Torture Temptation” is also rather nice and, ironically, kind of optimistic. “Converting the Infidels” has a little bit of aggression, I suppose. “Destruction of Institutions” admittedly features tension, but not enough for hell.

Finally, we get to “Face Up,” which is very much enhanced by the rapping skills of featured artist Nakama, who's got great delivery. “A Tyrant’s Mercy” is probably the most menacing of the tracks, thanks to a deep, demonic voice narrating. But “Return to Earth” marks the U-turn to upbeat tones and tunes. The title track is the final installment in this saga and is similar to how the album started, with flutes and good vibes closing us out. The hero reflects on the journey.

But here’s the thing: the album is a bit too enjoyable and weird to be associated with a "metamorphosed rebuke"; it’s too damn tranquil. The only way it works is if I picture Jean Effel’s hell in his Creation of the World; this album would be the soundtrack to that version of it — in my head, anyway. In both cases, NTHNL’s and Effel’s, the ultimate lesson of the work is the cultivation of compassion for those with destructive views so we can build a better world.

Enjoy the music.

Note: Album released on 02.04.2026. This coverage was produced independently by Liz Campese and is featured on ARTpublika through a content partnership.