Two versions of this piece are out now—the album version, which forms the core of this record, as well as a live session filmed by Four/Ten Media. Both feature my dear brothers @IanChang and @rileymulherkar.
There’s a tendency for music dealing with nature to do so with a soft focus, highlighting aspects that are calming and consonant. On Environments, we sought to convey a fuller spectrum. There’s hardly a more visceral metaphor for sublimation and transcendence than the volcano. Amidst the intensity and explosiveness of this track, I find it’s throbbing, tectonic core of deep bass and repeated refrains to be deeply grounding—a meditation on what Sufis call “Fana fillah,” or annihilation of the self within the eternal.
One of my favorite tracks on the record—and also, an anomaly on the record in many ways—to me it feels like late night, sneaking out into the woods and discovering a hidden field filled with fireflies ✨
Featuring a hyper-intimate recording of an extra gorgeous / soulful @rileymulherkar, and a blown-up version of @IanChang playing the drums with the tiniest of gestures.
Announcing Environments, the new album from Rafiq Bhatia
=====
Today Rafiq Bhatia announces Environments, his first full-length album since 2018’s Breaking English. Releasing September 12 via @antirecords, Environments celebrates Bhatia’s full-circle return to improvised music after a decade-long foray into meticulous studio-based constructions. In fact, the opening track “Aviary I | Sunrise” was recorded in one take.
A collaboration with trumpeter @rileymulherkar and Bhatia’s @sonlux-bandmate, drummer @IanChang, this first dispatch feels like a microcosm of the full album. The trio uses their instruments to evoke a forest floor awakening, improvising to conjure worlds of sound that bloom, melt, crackle and combust.
“Aviary I | Sunrise” is available now for purchase and download, and you can watch a live in-studio version of the track here:
Art, like dreams, can provide a portal to imagined realms, or other moments unencumbered by our present set of constraints. In my view, this is not escapism—it’s rearrangement, remembrance, rejuvenation, reclamation—donning shrouds to proceed when the path forward is interior, underground. As hero @BillFrisellsMusic observes, music is about rescuing each other.
My hope is that folks will hear this EP as a single, uninterrupted experience, like a short film—not as a collection of 15 sec snippets on this platform! Go get lost in the sound, and we’ll see you on the other side 🪞
Special thanks to engineers Todd Carder and Alex DeTurk; longtime artist collaborator Michael Cina who painted the cover and directed the type treatment; motion artist Sarah Sheikh Bridge who created the moving versions of the art and visualizers you can experience on YouTube; photographer Ebru Yildiz. To Hannah Houser for her belief and kindly relentless followthrough, and of course everyone at @antirecords, as well as Domino Publishing, Outer/Most Agency. To our incredible partners Nina and Eva + life coaches Noori and Sassy. To heroes David Lynch, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jason Moran for the inspiration. Above all, to dearest @chrispattishall1384—inspiration, teacher and brother for life 🐺
Out now is our version of “The Voice of Love,” a piece originally written by Angelo Badalamenti for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
On the day that Badalamenti passed away in 2022, a profound video of him playing this piece at the Korg Triton circulated on here, inspiring us to record it. It feels surreal that this track’s release—the date of which was set months ago—ended up coinciding with the transition of our hero, David Lynch. Grateful to have a way to honor him, and hoping that the music might help us transcend together.
Rafiq Bhatia
Rafiq Bhatia
My new album Environments is OUT NOW on Anti Records 🌋 rafiqbhatia.ffm.to/environments
Listen & experience it wherever you get your music. 👁️ Oh, and please come experience it live! Dates & tickets at www.rafiqbhatia.com/tour.
4 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Rafiq Bhatia
VOLCANO △ has arrived—the last preview of Environments before the full album drops this Friday via @antirecords 🌋 rafiqbhatia.ffm.to/environments
Two versions of this piece are out now—the album version, which forms the core of this record, as well as a live session filmed by Four/Ten Media. Both feature my dear brothers @IanChang and @rileymulherkar.
There’s a tendency for music dealing with nature to do so with a soft focus, highlighting aspects that are calming and consonant. On Environments, we sought to convey a fuller spectrum. There’s hardly a more visceral metaphor for sublimation and transcendence than the volcano. Amidst the intensity and explosiveness of this track, I find it’s throbbing, tectonic core of deep bass and repeated refrains to be deeply grounding—a meditation on what Sufis call “Fana fillah,” or annihilation of the self within the eternal.
4 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
“Clearing, Crickets” is out today 🦗🌱
One of my favorite tracks on the record—and also, an anomaly on the record in many ways—to me it feels like late night, sneaking out into the woods and discovering a hidden field filled with fireflies ✨
Featuring a hyper-intimate recording of an extra gorgeous / soulful @rileymulherkar, and a blown-up version of @IanChang playing the drums with the tiniest of gestures.
Environments arrives September 12 on @antirecords, and the three of us are on tour Sep/Oct: rafiqbhatia.ffm.to/environments
5 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
On the making of my new album ‘Environments,’ filmed by Four/Ten Media.
6 months ago | [YT] | 2
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Rafiq Bhatia
Announcing Environments, the new album from Rafiq Bhatia
=====
Today Rafiq Bhatia announces Environments, his first full-length album since 2018’s Breaking English. Releasing September 12 via @antirecords, Environments celebrates Bhatia’s full-circle return to improvised music after a decade-long foray into meticulous studio-based constructions. In fact, the opening track “Aviary I | Sunrise” was recorded in one take.
A collaboration with trumpeter @rileymulherkar and Bhatia’s @sonlux-bandmate, drummer @IanChang, this first dispatch feels like a microcosm of the full album. The trio uses their instruments to evoke a forest floor awakening, improvising to conjure worlds of sound that bloom, melt, crackle and combust.
“Aviary I | Sunrise” is available now for purchase and download, and you can watch a live in-studio version of the track here:
6 months ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Rafiq Bhatia
Friends—my new EP in collaboration w/ dear brother @chrispattishall1384, is out today on @antirecords: Each Dream, a Melting Door 👁️
Art, like dreams, can provide a portal to imagined realms, or other moments unencumbered by our present set of constraints. In my view, this is not escapism—it’s rearrangement, remembrance, rejuvenation, reclamation—donning shrouds to proceed when the path forward is interior, underground. As hero @BillFrisellsMusic observes, music is about rescuing each other.
My hope is that folks will hear this EP as a single, uninterrupted experience, like a short film—not as a collection of 15 sec snippets on this platform! Go get lost in the sound, and we’ll see you on the other side 🪞
Oh! We’re live at @national-sawdust tomorrow night and @PennLiveArts on Sunday—join us in the experience 👁️
Special thanks to engineers Todd Carder and Alex DeTurk; longtime artist collaborator Michael Cina who painted the cover and directed the type treatment; motion artist Sarah Sheikh Bridge who created the moving versions of the art and visualizers you can experience on YouTube; photographer Ebru Yildiz. To Hannah Houser for her belief and kindly relentless followthrough, and of course everyone at @antirecords, as well as Domino Publishing, Outer/Most Agency. To our incredible partners Nina and Eva + life coaches Noori and Sassy. To heroes David Lynch, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jason Moran for the inspiration. Above all, to dearest @chrispattishall1384—inspiration, teacher and brother for life 🐺
rafiqbhatia.ffm.to/edamd
10 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
A week from today, Rafiq Bhatia and Chris Pattishall’s new EP – Each Dream, A Melting Door – releases on all streaming platforms.
In celebration of the release, Rafiq and Chris are playing shows in NYC & Philly. Details here: www.rafiqbhatia.com/tour
11 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
EACH DREAM, A MELTING DOOR 🪞 a new EP in collaboration w/ my dear brother @chrispattishall1384, arrives February 21st on @antirecords.
Out now is our version of “The Voice of Love,” a piece originally written by Angelo Badalamenti for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
On the day that Badalamenti passed away in 2022, a profound video of him playing this piece at the Korg Triton circulated on here, inspiring us to record it. It feels surreal that this track’s release—the date of which was set months ago—ended up coinciding with the transition of our hero, David Lynch. Grateful to have a way to honor him, and hoping that the music might help us transcend together.
Listen / pre-save now: rafiqbhatia.ffm.to/edamd 🦉☕️🖤
11 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
Our new @sonlux EP Risk of Make Believe is out now wherever you get your music. 💙 With love –@RafiqBhatiaMusic, @Ryan Lott, & @IanChang // sonlux.lnk.to/ROMB
11 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Rafiq Bhatia
Our new @sonlux single "Risk Of Make Believe" is out now everywhere you listen to music: sonlux.lnk.to/ROMB
The full EP releases in January. Happy listening. 💙
1 year ago | [YT] | 0
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