Indian producer Sanaya Ardeshir marks a significant artistic shift, moving away from electronic music to craft intricate, slow-building compositions that prioritize texture and restraint. For the past decade, under her moniker Sandunes, Ardeshir cultivated a reputation for exploring the melodic facets of electronic music. Her three vibrant albums under this name often showcased bright instrumentation and drew comparisons to contemporaries like Bonobo, known for their pop-infused soundscapes.
Now, with the release of her inaugural record under her own name, Ardeshir delves into entirely new sonic territory. This album features expansive piano compositions, consciously replacing the rhythmic drive of dancefloor tracks with the gradual unfolding of minimalist repetitions. Leveraging her background as a classically trained pianist, Ardeshir exhibits masterful command over the keys. The opening track, for instance, establishes an insistent right-hand motif that provides a solid foundation for saxophonist Rhys Sebastian’s elongated, expressive notes.
This steadfast piano phrasing serves as a versatile canvas, enabling her collaborators to introduce rich, evocative instrumental swells. The album features bursts of woodwind fanfare in the poignant track “Between Dreams,” contrasting with the swirling, trilling synth strings found in the more dynamic “Barefoot Steps.” A particularly notable contribution comes from percussionist Sarathy Korwar on “Deccan Queen,” where his steadily intensifying tabla rhythms provide essential structure to Ardeshir’s energetic arpeggios.