Influences clash together in this skittish, experimental debut from electronic producer Nawksh.
Though Danial Hyatt is a video game developer from Karachi, Pakistan, his output under Nawksh comes from a place much further afield. As well as the sights and sounds of South Asia, Hyatt has described his inspiration for this album as coming from a private fantasy world called CERATYL, a place he’s nurtured in his mind since boyhood.
Inside this world, the trappings of techno, beat music, ambient and more meld together, providing a strange soundtrack as Hyatt “dives into the most difficult, darkest parts of [his] psych.” It’s a therapy of sorts for the producer, and the musical release that’s achieved holds you as it manifests itself in various guises from track to track.
After the album’s stuttering opener, ‘First Friend’ picks up the pace and takes listeners on a journey through whirring, industrial base-scapes that come up against the rhythm of tribal drum samples. In ‘Down the Rodent Hole’ Hyatt channels the beat-driven style of Flying Lotus, with layers piling up on top of each other and melodies fighting to be heard.
Mythic Tales of Tomorrow II soon starts to take a more ambient turn before finally delving into the surreal. It’s as if Hyatt is revelling in a moment of calm before the final track, ‘Exile & Mirror’, takes you into a deep, 12-minute exploration of sound and samples provided by collaborator SMAX.
As a debut album, there’s certainly enough creative ambition and ingenuity on show to interest anyone listening to the margins of electronic music. He’s got a great deal to show you and, although staying with him isn’t always easy, doing so is ultimately rewarding. Electronic music has long been a place for forward-thinking artists to unleash their creativity and explore their minds. In his effort to bring CERATYL to life through these escapist, short-lived, genre-hopping beats, Nawksh has created an album that leaves you hungry to return for more.
While the record can definitely stand repeat listening, especially when played on a loop, our next taste of this world may come in the form of a game that he’s been developing to accompany it. A chance for Hyatt to show us visually the thoughts and stories unraveling inside his head.
3/5
Mythic Tales of Tomorrow II is released on Guruguru Brain on August 19th.
