Sarvesh Shrivastava aka Sickflip is probably one of the youngest, most experimental producers in the Indian electronic scene to date. Having a strong affinity to bass-heavy sounds, he draws constant inspiration from everything around him, and these influences can be seen in everything that he puts out from his studio. Having performed for major Indian festivals like Sunburn, Enchanted Valley Carnival and Bacardi NH7 Weekender, he has become a household name with every one worth their salt in the Indian dance circuit.
His latest project, draws all it’s inspiration from the surreal and otherworldly north Indian region of Ladakh. “The Ladakh Project” captures every sublime detail of his recent visit to the region and this is transformed into a beautifully captivating musical and visual extravaganza. The EP is a 5 track release which draws influences from everything that make Ladakh as hypnotic as it is, from chants at various monasteries to rivers flowing with the wind. The soundscaping and placement of all the tracks within the EP, are intentionally designed to stimulate your journey into a trance-like, mystical experience, much like one would feel when placed right in the middle of any of Ladakh’s breath-taking valleys, rivers or monasteries.
The first track into the EP is Nubra River, and it couldn’t have kicked off any better. The serene track, starts off with a calming plucked string riff that sounds akin to the ethnic Santoor. This is followed by flowing beat-work and complimented by an underlying synth organ chord progression. Add elements of glitch thrown in, and it makes for a perfect amalgamation of the ethnicity of the region with the sensibilities of modern electronic music, maintaining a perfect balance between the two.
This is followed by Pangong Sky, characterized by extremely subtle beat-work and, again the ethnic Santoor-like string arpeggios. A deep bassline adds that extra oomph to the track, making it punchy enough to get you grooving but not too much as to overpower the integral yet miniscule elements that make this production what it is. The glitchy samples scattered along the track ensure it has a bouncy vibe, yet this is balanced out by a subtle flute that emerges as the track progresses, making it equally tranquil and soulful. It breaks down to calming sample of flowing water that almost transports you right in the middle of any of Ladakh’s breathtaking rivers, and picks up all the way again.
The third track off the EP, Chamshen, kicks off with hypnotic samples of the Dungchen, a traditional Tibetan horn, and temple bells. The tempo gets kicked a few notches higher on this production with fast paced percussive elements and pounding beatwork. It’s much darker than the first 2 tracks, which is especially characterized by the spell-binding Buddhist chants thrown in. The addition of the horn, along with the heavily modultaed vocal sample, make it that much more ominous.
The 4th track, Zeepata, tones things down again with it’s mystical stringed riff and jazz inspired, groove-inducing beatwork. It then brakes to a very gritty saw synth, coupled with the stringed riff, making it as intense as it is melodic. As it progresses, a very, very soulful saxophone sample is introduced, showcasing Sickflip’s ability to combine so many musical influences and translate them into one gorgeous sounding production.
The entire EP is rounded off by Shanti Cafe, which kicks off with wooden block based percussive elements. It can be seen as an alternative version to Nubra River, having the same string riff. However, a hypnotic modulated, and at times, chopped, synth hook, overlaid on fluid chord progressions, changes the entire feel of the track. The breakbeat/future house beat structure provides the foundation for this eclectic production. It keeps in tone with the calming, mystical feel of the entire EP yet is so intrinsically different by sheer virtue of all the elements that make up the track.
What’s more, is that this entire musical journey, is a free download for anyone who wishes to partake in the aural splendour of Ladakh. You can get your hands on a copy here.
The entire trip, which lasted 10 days, at a minimum altitude of 10,000 feet and higher, in freezing temperature. The visuals captured by the The Outbox Project, a team of photographers and videographers, perfectly translate the divine serenity of this heavenly region into breath-taking images and a stunning video, which does a splendid job of visually depicting the ethereal beauty of Ladakh and the vibrancy of the multitude of people that make her what she is.
Along with the EP, SickFlip takes the showcase on a multi-city tour throughout August. Consisting of original music composed exclusively for this showcase, along with field recorded sounds from Ladakh, this performance will be accompanied by breathtaking video footage and stills captured every step of the journey. These moments will also be on display at the venue as still photography for sale, along with copies of the music album.
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