Adina Luumu aka Adina Friis is a composer, singer and pianist from Lucerne whose music is truly uncategorisable. Entitled “Elephant Love Song”, her trio’s third album is out now via TOURBOmusic.

Unless an artist directly models themselves on someone else, direct comparisons are usually misleading. And so it is with Nick Drake, to whom Luumu likes to refer to as a source of inspiration. This certainly rings true in the case of her chamber-music like arrangements, but that’s where the comparisons must end. The singer’s crystal-clear voice, for starters, gives her music a very different and much more extravert feel. And then there is her extended band which adds flute, bass clarinet and a string quartet to the basic outfit of herself (piano, vocals), Simon Iten (double bass, E-bass, synth), and Andy Schelker (drums, glockenspiel).

Whilst occasionally hinting at the presence of English folk in her muse (Pentangle or Dando Shaft spring to mind), Luumu has also drawn attention to her Nordic musical roots. “I listen to the song and figure out which line-up is the most suitable and gives the song what it deserves to flourish in its essence. That’s actually all there is to it.” Luumu said in a recent interview with jazzviews.net, explaining the broad range of moods on the album. The idiosyncratic stylistic melange of Mike & Kate Westbrook, for instance, or Dagmar Krause also spring to mind. Her background in composition for theatre shines through, too. “Elephant Love Song” is an album that amply rewards patience, perseverance and a willingness to step into the unknown.