“I may never be the best, most virtuosic player on the planet, but I think my musical voice is worthy of being heard,” says Rein. That voice drives Variants, a record that blends older compositions with fresh material, balancing structured songs with improvisatory freedom. Tracks like Farwell, written for Rein’s late teacher Paulo Cardoso, honour formative influences, while newer pieces such as Unexpected and the title track Variants signal a new chapter in the quintet’s musical exploration.

The ensemble brings together musicians from two key corners of Rein’s life: longtime friends from his Munich studies, Michael Salvermoser and Max Hacker, and Austrian collaborators Konstantin Kräutler-Horváth and Fabio Devigili. A single rehearsal and one live concert were enough to select the strongest material, leaving space for spontaneity and fresh interpretations in the studio.

Rein’s path to the upright bass began at 21, after years on electric bass, and was shaped by intensive study in Munich with Patrick Scales, Paulo Cardoso, Martin Zenker, and Henning Sieverts. As a sought-after sideman, he has toured across Europe, South Africa, and Mongolia, performing in projects spanning jazz, pop, and beyond. With Variants, Rein fully asserts his voice as a bandleader, letting his compositions – and the quintet’s interplay – speak for themselves.

The album is both retrospective and forward-looking: a document of Rein’s musical journey that honours his influences while opening new sonic territory. The quintet listens, reacts, and creates together, producing a vibrant and instinctive soundscape where every member contributes equally to the evolving dialogue.

Recorded with an emphasis on ensemble chemistry and sonic clarity, Variants captures a group attuned to one another, where each player’s individuality enhances the collective sound. The album’s blend of old and new, structure and improvisation, creates a listening experience that feels intimate, immediate, and unforced.