Jordan Klassen’s discography is already storied; the release of a surprise album only adds to the mountain of songs that span Klassen’s growing collection of albums and EPs. For the uninitiated, Klassen’s music could best be described as indie folk with elements of chamber pop mixed. Think of Sufjan Stevens or Nova Amor – layered, intricate, airy.

Glossolalia doesn’t break the Klassen formula in any particular disruptive way. It doesn’t need to, either. There is something almost pious about this approach to songwriting. The dynamic is soft. The words themselves are blanketed in atmosphere, demanding an active ear to parse their mysteries. But what you won’t find is ego.

But much like Ed Tullett or Benjamin James, Klassen approaches his songwriting with a modern mindset. You’ll find synth arpeggios and other electronic touches – maybe even more so than the electric touches. “Good Intentions” is a prime example, and its African-flavored rhythm makes its one of the most eclectic tracks here.

Hum loops on “Pangea” carry a percussive quality of their own sort. Flutes shimmer. There are trombones and strings. The melody rarely stays with a single instrument for too long when all the layers coalesce.

Klassen might have a gossamer bent, but that doesn’t mean his songs are formless. “Niko” is concrete, anchored by percussion and upbeat energy. It’s easy to see why it was chosen as a single. To go back to Sufjan, there’s an Illinois vibe on this song.

And “Lotusland” is a captivating opening track that sets the paints the scene with mystic allure. The low end of strings provides a bit of a dark underbelly for what is otherwise a bright track. It’s a sense of awe and uncertainty, like getting lost in a hedge maze. There’s no sense of immediate danger, but there’s tension nonetheless.

Klassen’s lyrics, even when understood (or read) remain largely cryptic. The album’s title refers to speaking in tongues, and in some ways that’s how the songs feel – foreign, hidden from interpretation, sacred. The songwriter certainly is no stranger to incorporating biblical references, and this time around, you’ll find ponderings of raising the dead, the Promised Land, the greatest and the least, and forgiveness. But the proper meaning of just what Klassen is trying to say is ever so slightly out of reach at many times.

Glossolalia is another solid entry into the Jordan Klassen discography. It avoids being derivative, but it doesn’t deviate too wildly from its predecessors. There’s a good mix of songs with fuller arrangements, songs with percussive backbone, and songs with little more than guitar and voice. It’s a mood-over-meaning record that stands on its own musically, but there’s still plenty to wrestle with lyrically for the discerning. There haven’t been too many albums of this flavor recently, and it’s encouraging to see Klassen continue to provide life to this slice of the folk world.

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