The next release in the Phonica Special Edition series comes from Ukrainian duo Asyncronous who first came to our attention after hearing their critically acclaimed debut on Berlin label Slow Life, ‘The Art of Fighting In A Dream’ . A Phonica favourite, it provided the soundtrack to many days in the shop throughout the year, culminating in its inclusion in our top ten Best Singles of 2019!
The Phonica Special Edition series is focused on one-off projects, special remixes or collaborations , highlighting music that is slightly left of the dance floor and pairing it with unique artwork. This time featuring a beautiful piece by celebrated Ukrainian artist, Mykyta Storozhkov. The pair initially joined forces in an effort to explore human imagination and life experiences through music, focussing on creating feelings and atmosphere rather than be constrained by genre limitations. The result on this EP is a hazy cosmic trip through their universe of synth swells, deep sub bass and meticulous percussion.
The journey begins on ”Padma Kirtanam” with a constant drone providing the backbone to a building tension scattered with drums. The tension releases and makes way for A2 “Shinkansen”, a beautiful track with minimal drums and dubbed out synths which echo around the listener’s ear. Closing the A side, “Volta” continues this aesthetic but adds a 4×4 kick drum upping the groove to a cosmic deep house jam.
“Avalanche” kicks off the B side of the record with a syncopated bass line and skitterish hi hats. The energy is at its highest level here and only stops to make way for the next track “Blocks of Despair”. The tempo drops and drum hits reverberate above stretched out bass notes creating arguably the most heartfelt tune of the release. The EP ends with “Midnight Sun” an ambient excursion that invites you to drift off with Asyncronous into outer space.
Today we have many opportunities to discover the world and travel through it without leaving your own room. In the age of globalization, with the help of knowledge, technology and imagination, you can instantly teleport yourself to mystical temples of India or see the sun above the polar desert at midnight. No more borders — we are connected like never before, as if we are not at different ends of the globe, but on a single and indivisible continent that is not mapped but exists in a plexus of global events, information flows and digital environment. This is our common home. Our new Pangaea.
Grab your copy here and listen on Spotify below.
