sialia by Minaxi
Foreword by Will Wilkinson, Rats on the Run.
I’ve never seen Minaxi. And I’ve never been to Brooklyn. I’ve never met them, played with them, they don’t know what I look like. But I do feel a part of their music.
Since becoming entwined with their ‘Zia Fantasy Trilogy’ and reviewing those lush-toned EPs, there’s been a sense of being part of a secret. Their songs drifted over from US to UK with a cool mix of shoegaze and ethereal otherness, they brought their wide open soundscapes right to me. And no matter how many playlists and reviews I sent out, there was still something mine in Minaxi.
Now they’re back with a new set of sonics. To call it ‘Alt-Rock’s a disservice. We play the soft grinds of Slowdive with the agro of Ride, but this is no 90’s revival. There’s both a new calm and pace to 'sialia', there’s as much Cocteau Valentine as there is Four-Tet wonder, especially in ‘sialia’s remixes.
Every sound in this EP is bolder. More fluid, more set and more certain. Minaxi’s music has grown and they’ve grown along with it, it’s a pleasure to ride along with them.
So sit back and breathe in the slow glow. Minaxi won't be my secret much longer.
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About the album
The collection of songs on 'sialia' traverses diverse sonic universes progressively. Combining live instrumentation with synthesized electronic and organic ambient sounds, the EP broadly represents the genres of alternative rock, dream pop, electronica and ambient music.
Unlike Minaxi’s previous body of work, 'sialia' does not have an inherent concept; what ties the songs together despite the fluidity of genres is the unifying emotion—the one which drives the themes of love, detachment, self-ascension and nostalgia; the one which is delivered bilingually through the voices of Shrenik Ganatra and Liam Christian, intensified by Steve Carlin’s drumming and supported by guest musicians Milan Ganatra and Luke Santy; the one which beckons the band’s evolution into the forthcoming body of work.
Tracklist
| 1. | Violet | 3:41 |
| 2. | Barsaate (feat. Milan Ganatra) | 5:16 |
| 3. | I Know Where You Go When You Sleep | 3:30 |
| 4. | B - Drel Remix | 6:04 |
| 5. | This Town | 4:27 |
| 6. | Violet - LUKEINTERNET Remix | 4:29 |
| 7. | Barsaate - Downtempo Version | 5:12 |
Credits
Original music composed and performed by Minaxi
All songs, sans 'B', written by Shrenik Ganatra
'B' written and remixed by Liam Christian
Produced by Patrick Hunt and Minaxi
Mixed by Patrick Hunt
Drums for 'Violet' and 'I Know Where You Go When You Sleep' engineered and recorded by Todd Carder at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn
Guitars, Bass, Tabla and Vocals engineered and recorded by Shrenik Ganatra
Vocals for 'B' engineered and recorded by Liam Christian
Drums by Steve Carlin
Guitars, vocals and electronics by Liam Christian
Guitars, bass, vocals and electronics by Shrenik Ganatra
Tabla on 'Barsaate' by Milan Ganatra
'Violet' remixed by Luke Santy aka LUKEINTERNET
Concept, design and creative direction by Shrenik Ganatra
©℗ 2021 Minaxi.
License
All rights reserved.
Shrenik Ganatra,
Liam Christian,
Thomas Herndon,
Steve Carlin.
Based in Brooklyn and rooted in the frenetic energy of Mumbai, Minaxi integrates Hindustani & Sufi music with the angst of psychedelia, the shimmer of shoegaze & ambient music, and the raw ethos of Midwest emo. The result is a sonic palette that feels both familiar and refreshingly original, steeped in tradition yet modern.