Traveler’s Guide is a product of strolling music, jazzy urban vibes, trendy nightlife, that accompanies a colourful cocktail in a cushioned and dimly lit speakeasy. Syncopated piano, without too much fuss, seductive trumpet, lively but not frantic pulse. This genre was a hit about 25 years ago with compilations like Hotel Costes, Café del Mar, Saint-Germain. You can clearly hear the instruments, the bass, the keyboard, the drums, a bit of electro, but no musician is mentioned on the Bandcamp page. Which suggests to me that it might just be a pure studio product, with digital sounds. We are two steps away from AI, which must already be able to do this convincingly in a few minutes. It’s not unpleasant, mind you, but in this era of fake this and fake that, Mr. Ayva would do well to turn his creations into scores that can be played by real humans if he wants to earn respect. We’re at that point.
