Htennek Niwsha's A Part felt like a signal from above to slow down and listen. As I'm writing those lines at the backdrop of one of album's most prolific songs, the veil of a dense, gray-looking cloud constantly reshapes itself in front of the burning sunrise over my city. I have to say, very poetic and dramatic, just like the album and I couldn't ask for a better setting to experience this album.
Htennek Niwsha is a project started by Ken Harrison and Ashwin Sood also known for their work as ambient pop duo PANToNE VU. The idea of doing this was born from the chance discovery of a little-known composer while clearing out a basement apartment in Toronto. A few days ago, they delivered one of the most captivating and mysterious records I've stumbled upon this year. I rarely view classical and ambient music on Stereofox nowadays, but back when we started in 2013 we frequently covered a variety of genres and this felt like a good reason to not only slow down, but continue on the everlasting (I hope) journey of expanding my musical taste.
A Part, their third studio album, has been recorded entirely in Estonia and it feels congruent with the start of Fall and the mental preparation for upcoming winter months. Days spent spacing out while watching the world from inside, cold, but refreshing park walks, and enjoying the ambiance of indoor bustling cafes.
"A bit of a play on words," A&K elaborate on the album title and the focus track, "Thematically, this record focuses on time spent APART. The pieces are slow, minimal, and contemplative. The Htennek lore may have been written after Htennek's granddaughter Meesha, went to university. Perhaps it's no coincidence that it resembles our favourite composer's name?"
When it comes to the opening piece, "Forest Hymn #13," A & K share, "This collection of pieces was inspired by and recorded during our time at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia. The trek through the forest each day to get to the Centre was so peaceful and led to this series of forest hymns. Forest Hymn #13 is an exploration of Arvo's tintinnabulli compositional approach. The strict harmonic rules appeal to our inner math geek and lead to a delightful push and pull between dissonance and resolution."
Stay up to date.
New music and exclusive updates in your inbox weekly.
Needless to say, the whole A Part record feels like a joint experience. While neo classical ambient music is a bit foreign to me, it doesn't strike me as the kind of music you can play a track from and move on with your day and while there are little moments in the album I tend to enjoy more, like the playfulness of "Little Mischief", I couldn't imagine a way where you can just play a composition from this and stop there.
I feel we need experiences like this in a world where focus is a valuable currency and quality is disproportionally connected to quantity. The soundtrack to the little things in our day that make life beautiful.
Mugs, t-shirts,
hoodies, vinyls & more.
