We previously featured Ruud Voesten for the thought-provoking release, Clickbait Merchant, so when we heard that the drummer and composer from The Netherlands was back with Raw Beans, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Drawing us in with a repeated brooding piano chord and a sublime yet mysterious clarinet melody, Raw Beans opens with cinematic allure and notions of melancholia. The piece expands with instrumental mastery and emotional depth to take us on a poetic journey that feels designed to invite us to reflect inward.
We appreciate the subtle switch ups and the minimalism of the piece. By the mid-way point we experience some subtle shifts energetically, some astral squeaks, some percussion details, high piano notes and evocative chord evolutions.
We learn that Raw Beans is the second single from Ambrosia II, the upcoming album by Ruud Voesten. The song draws inspiration from Dante Alighieri’s Purgatorio, focusing on the terrace of Gluttony – a place where souls suffer hunger and thirst while surrounded by unreachable food and water. The piece captures this torment through a haunting duet, evoking longing, restraint, and inner struggle.
Voesten’s music transforms Dante’s vivid imagery into sound, blending elements of chamber music, jazz and contemporary classical composition. The tone is calm yet dark, emotional yet disciplined – much like the souls in purgatory striving toward redemption.
Following the success of his 2023 debut Ambrosia, inspired by Inferno, Ambrosia II continues Voesten’s musical journey through the Divine Comedy. The album was developed during a residency at Il Palmerino in Florence, where Dante once lived, and reflects the influence of Italian art and nature. Ambrosia II will be released on November 7th via ZenneZ Records, accompanied by a tour across the Netherlands.
We have added Raw Beans to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the exquisite growing discography of Ruud Voesten, and anticipate the entirety of Ambrosia II in November!