“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” — John Muir
Artist: Amandra & Karim
Release: Sqala Ep
Label: Tikita
Release Date: 19 February 2021
As beings of this beautiful Earth, we are wildly susceptible to having adventurous souls. This fact is supported by qualities of bravery and hardness because of the forever looming reality that: It is dangerous business walking out of your front door.. But ultimately, we love the thrills. Yes, there is always a jolt of excitement that courses through our veins as we lace up our hiking boots and prepare our baggages and kits for another day of adventure – Amandra & Karim’s “Sqala EP” describes this feeling with great comprehension.
Amandra & Karim have prepared Tikita’s 12th release named “Sqala”, along with ground breaking interpretations from Donato Dozzy, Dorisburg, Forest Drive West, and natural/electronic.system. While listening, you’ll immediately be transfixed by the poignant percussive elements. All six tracks of the release are nothing less than spell binding, capturing the listener and almost forcing them to explore destinations unknown.Â
The important takeaway from these six stories is the lessons they re-teach us, lessons that were mildly forgotten due to the modern times of scarcity, fear and consternation. The pandemic has affected our plans to travel and explore which caused much pain and distress, but this project has the power to bring us out of that plain of despair. It reminds us what it feels like to step out of our comfort zone, therefore it was released to the public at the perfect time. Think to yourself – When is the last time you’ve let go of life’s steering wheel and opened yourself up to the world, when is the last time you’ve surrendered yourself to another individual and allowed yourself to fall in love, when is the last time your heart skipped a beat after seeing something that startled you. You see those happenings, or “jolts” of excitement if you will, are what we long to experience – they’re what we hope feel everyday because they keep us ALIVE. There has been sudden shift of mindset within the general human mentality; The word “Fear” in regards to the explorative concept “Fear of the unknown” is not entirely an alarming notion anymore. During these cold times, we actually anticipate something different to experience during our normal everyday routines in order to shock us into feeling human again.
In a world filled with complexities, arbitrary elements, and happenings that are out of our control, we need to appreciate musical art like this because they give us a sense of excitement. A hypnotist’s journey contains the power to tell you different stories every time you press play; some stories arises from personal memories, and some stories can have you tiptoeing along the edge of wonder. We give thanks to Amandra, Karim, and all other entities who have conducted this incredible work of art. It has given us a taste of adventure and helped us find what was lost due to life’s most recent journeys.
Sqala EP (Incl. Donato Dozzy, Dorisburg, Forest Drive West, natural​/​electronic​.​system. remixes):