Sundaze 1310

Hello, as Winter refuses to let go we'll have to endure it's chilling effects, so does it get you in the mood for some Canadian Sundaze ?

From a one man show equipped with drum machines, ipads, and synths, all the way to his 10 piece Outworld Orkestra, amassed from a collection of the world’s finest fusionists, dancers, and visual artists performing his music live. Adham's music traverses diverse landscapes and times, connecting the listener with a kaleidoscope of cultures .. ..N'joy..

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From mossy mountain forests on the west coast of Canada, Global Electronics Producer, Film Composer, Sound Designer Adham Shaikh weaves global music tapestries that take listeners on sonic journeys transcending time and place. Adham's sets can be described as ever evolving blends of deep original global grooves, tribal rhythms, west coast bass, complex dub and lush downtempo atmospheres.

Adham Shaikh is a composer, producer and sound designer currently living near Nelson, BC. He has released 10 albums and many individual compositions, among them the 2004 release, Fusion, which was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) in the World Music category. Music labels from around the globe have released his music, recently, Shaikh co-produced and mixed the award-winning debut CD for global fusion group Delhi 2 Dublin, and has finished re-mixing tracks for internationally renowned world fusion artists Nickodemus, Deya Dova, Kaya Project, Tripswitch and David Starfire.  Operating from his Sonicturtle Music Studio, he is currently at work on a number of multimedia projects while actively recording and composing his next albums. In 2010 he released Universal Frequencies followed by Resonance - Selected Ambient Works later that year. In 2012 Refractions - Universal Frequencies Remixes Vol. 1  ‎saw the light.

Working from his mobile Sonicturtle Studio as a sound designer / composer Adham has worked on Disney's IMAX film, 'Sacred Planet' as well as on the CBC's Passionate Eye documentary, 'Secrets'. In addition, Adham has done multimedia work on a number of projects including ones for a Texas Water Rehabilitation Project, BC Fisheries, Hedley Mine (Cone House) and the Vancouver Opera. His music has also been featured in the CBC documentary with Canadian environmental scientist David Suzuki called 'Suzuki Speaks'; in the feature film, 'Let It Ride', about world-renowned snowboarder Craig Kelly; in Greg Stump's 'Aspen Snowmass' film; as well as in several episodes of Fuel TV (USA).

He has shared the stage with such diverse artists as Shpongle, Ott Bluetech, Micheal Franti ,Ganga Giri, Mad Professor, Nickodemus. And 2012 saw him share his creations at the great electronic music festivals Symbiosis, Beloved, LIB, Shambhala, and BassCoast, Adham has also performed internationally at festivals in Ecuador (WaterWomen), France (Hadra), Uk (Waveform), Portugal (Boom) Japan (Dakini) and New Zealand (Luminate)  2013 will see Adham perform in New Zealand, Costa Rica, and return to the U.S.

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Realignment was remarkable when it was produced almost 20 years ago and holds up well today. Only 4 tracks and the shortest one is over 14 minutes! A lot of the aspects of this music are so far ahead of its time.  This is Adham Shaikh's first full length  Whereas these days he is now known for ethnic sounding chill, this album is a pure voyage into the vastness of space with dreamy ambient.

There are great ambient textures as well as a solid mixture of melodic trance in the first track. The trance is never boring or predictable and even flashes some of that great old school goa sound. The 2nd starts off as a very spacey 2001 ambient piece and I am totally immersed in the atmosphere but then takes a turn with jungle style vibes. This doesn't seem to fit at all together and it was a little disappointing. I wasn't a fan of that mix, but the quality is there.

Oberon is quite droney and spacey, giving a cold feeling. And isn't that what space is, cold and isolating in its vastness? Alternate Spectrum cuts loose the umbilicus and I am set adrift in space. Images and soundbytes rush through my mind and I realize just how alone I am. This was very spooky and downright cold. Powerful. The album should be enjoyed as a whole, very deep and lush with sci-fi and space samples. Great stuff.

Adham Shaikh - Realignment (flac  349mb)

01 Pulsation (Oscillation Vibration) 16:25
02 Quazar 20:49
03 Oberon (Greymatter) 21:11
04 Alternate Spectrum (Transmission) 14:08

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Adham Shaikh journeyed through India & tried to convey the rich beautiful colours & the warmth and kindness of the people he met there. This is definately a journey album. One that takes you from yourself and gets you lost in the music.
Here's the start of the Journey...

1. Guru Sambhu Dada - A dark atmospheric lull opens my day. I can hear long drawn out chanting, like Buddhist monks before the dawn trying to coax the sun out of hiding for another day. 2. Emergence - It's still dark but there is a twinkling on the horizon. A long ambient drone pushes & pushes, I can even hear lightly played sitar somewhere close. Still the drone tries to push the light & the twinkling promises more. The sitar & the drone seem to blend into each other making the horizon light up. The sound of early morning is upon us. The world is still asleep mostly but some of us are awake. Not just me I notice, someone is chanting in the distance.
It's brighter now & there are more people singing as I pass by. The sun very much out now illuminates everything. I feel it's going to be a good day.

A very ambient journey indeed with very few beats in just a few tracks. Not just background music, this journey needs some serious attention. Give it some!

Adham Shaikh - Journey To The Sun (flac 268mb)

01 Guru Sambhu Dada 1:47
02 Emergence 9:58
03 Flute Interlude #1 0:42
04 Journey To The Sun 14:15
05 Innocence 0:34
06 Infinite Emanation 9:42
07 Dropal 1:07
08 Flute Interlude #2 0:44
09 Ethereal Ion 3:23
10 Liquid Evolution 16:39
11 Ganges By Full Moon 2:27
12 Sri Kainchih Templebells 1:13
13 Zero G 5:46

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During August and September of 1995, Adham Shaikh and Tim Floyd journeyed to a cabin on an island in the Pacific Northwest (U.S.A.). In August, they explored the island and recorded sounds of nature, natural occurrences, and some human interactions with nature. In September they sifted through the material and added music to the recordings. They, in effect, used the nature samples as instruments. They added ethnic instruments and technical wizardry (processing, mixing, recording, engineering, and mastering) to create a "natural" soundscape. Drift is a magnificent set of minimalist soundscapes and pastoral ambience. Shaikh and Floyd took great pains to perfect this masterpiece. The organic textures and deep drones play off and to each other. Every detail of the sound design is complimentary. There are no missing elements and the performances are flawless.

Adham Shaikh and Tim Floyd - Drift (flac 301mb)

01 Phaze 1:30
02 Portals (Part II) 7:41
03 Estuary 9:44
04 Snakedance 8:35
05 Bend 1:41
06 Embers 5:07
07 Warm Fuzzys 8:43
08 Resolution 4:46
09 Calling 2:01
10 Lullaby 6:53
11 Beacon 5:50
12 North Twin 13:20

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