Berlin-based producer Parra for Cuva releases ‘Nacar,’ his sixth studio album and most introspective work to date. Named after the Spanish word for mother-of-pearl, the 12-track record draws on the idea of transformation: how something fragile and raw slowly evolves into something luminous and layered. Featuring collaborations with Nathan Ball, orbit, CRi, Vraell, Cile, PALLADIAN, Aukai, and Vines, alongside three solo compositions, Nacar refines the handcrafted sonic language that has defined Parra for Cuva for over a decade. 

Written largely while touring across the world, ‘Nacar’ became a kind of time capsule. Between shows, between countries, between versions of himself, Nico Demuth (Parra for Cuva) sought out stillness, renting small houses, setting up a minimal mobile studio, and capturing hours of solitude. The landscapes he passed through left their mark on the music: coastlines in Mexico, France, Italy, Japan, Panama, Canada, Costa Rica, Australia, and the United States subtly echo throughout the album in airy atmospheres, tidal rhythms, and gentle spaces. Field recordings captured during sessions in Costa Rica have been woven directly into the sonic fabric. Rather than chasing trends or club functionality, ‘Nacar’ turns inward, guided purely by intuition and personal taste. The result is an album that feels deeply human: reflective, warm, and immersive, designed for intimate listening on headphones, while traveling, or somewhere near the sea.

The album moves fluidly between solo introspection and collaborative exploration. The three solo tracks, ‘Selva, Selva,’ ‘Towards Amber,’ and ‘Juri,’ establish the record’s personal core, while collaborations reveal Parra for Cuva at his most open and connected. ‘Forgive Everyone,’ created with British guitarist Vraell, begins with intimate guitar loops that gradually expand into liquid drum-and-bass. “’ITIT,’ made with longtime friend orbit during time spent working together in Italy, is fast and rhythm-driven, built around a soulful sample that brings warmth and nostalgia. 

‘Cold Heart’ leans toward the club with an acid-inspired bassline anchored by Nathan Ball’s vulnerable vocal, while ‘Too Close to Echo’ (with orbit and CRi) opens with a simple piano motif that builds into one of the album’s most direct dancefloor moments. ‘Huda’ combines electronic production with traditional instrumentation, featuring a repeating Bulgarian vocal sample and live charango textures from Aukai. 

The title track, ‘Nacar,’ takes small, fragile ideas and lets them slowly evolve into layered compositions with Nathan Ball’s vocal supported by strings and ritualistic samples, while the album closes with ‘How Many Days Does It Take to Say Goodbye,’ built around gentle chords and delicate vocal samples, ending the record on a reflective, almost weightless note.

The ‘Nacar’ album is available here