Sataka - Xram
For a psychedelic journey through time and space, look no further than Santaka, comprising Marijus Aleksa and Manfredas. The duo has been busy, especially considering that their debut, No Rivers Here (2022) album, released with three tracks beyond 10 minutes. They have been cooking away in the studio for quite a while now, and honestly, what they've made so far is delicious. Elements of psych and free jazz are everywhere. Percussive heavy tracks are the focus, while they make room for more weightless material. The duo is enamoured with its type of meditative mysticism that really comes out in the long experimental cuts. Their latest release on Radio Vilnius, Xram (2023), is a perfect midpoint between two styles. With wild experimentation and rich percussive excellence, they also tailored it to a club environment with ample repetition and bass weight.
The duo propels past galaxies and quasars at breakneck speed. They give us snapshots of the wonders our cosmos offers on the title track 'Xram'. Unresolving bass loops flair, keeping the momentum flying forward while the rest of the production revolves around Middle Eastern mysticism. Beautiful vocals float over the track, accompanied by horns that encroach on free jazz at points. Bringing everything into modernity are synth glitches that decorate the periphery. Marco Shuttle manages to produce the perfect remix of 'Xram'. Shuttle gives an alternative version of events without usurping or altering the context. It sounds more like the ancestral recounting of events. More percussion lends the track to a more terrestrial vibe. Heavy use of shakers and hand drums feels ceremonial while the haunting wails flood the backdrop like ghostly apparitions or ancient memories. Shuttle has taken great care in bringing a sense of authenticity through shifting rhythms that keep things progressing.
The duo has an uncanny ability to integrate modern techniques into something that sounds so organic. Take, for example, 'Crescent' and its obscure animalistic cries. The breakdown is a dissonant mess of wayward synths and cavernous reverb that all comes to a head when the track drops back into this fast-paced electro number. Every song is a collage of tantalising sounds. Taking wild left and rights, the duo has forged a record similar to if Cluster made dance music. Heavy tribal influence rounds out the last track, 'Xdrum'. Bold rhythms and even bolder synths create a nuanced and exciting adventure through the eclectic sound of Santaka. The duo seemed content on flipping songs on their head midway through, and 'Xdrum' is no different. It is an absolute powerhouse with ecstatic drums similar to 'Phat Planet' by Leftfield. This keeps up the momentum while meticulously handcrafted rhythms are littered everywhere. Repetition with tiny changes all the time is the name of the game. Again, the breakdown becomes a world unto itself. Familiar arpeggios are flanked by interesting percussion while black flies whizz past. Yet to hear of Santaka? Undoubtedly, they'll be one to watch and listen out for.
Tracklist:
Xram
Xram (Marco Shuttle Remix)
Cresent
Xdrum
Label: Radio Vilnius
Santaka - Xram
