These songs are my idea of a cavernous stargate which starts off luminous and playful and gradually digs deeper into my subconscious, weaving a fabric of moody, uncomfortable emotions. Yet, there’s something delicate and radiant hidden within each composition which the creator chooses to keep a secret, if only you dived into it, and not just with the one listen. My preferred choice of music is that which grows on you as you slowly begin to embrace the unease and cerebral quality of it.
DWIG – Orange Evening
This song is fragile and delicate but has a slightly deceitful, sneaky undertone to it which spreads like warmth over my body.
Atom – Ich Bin Meine Maschine
The hypnotic authority of repeatedly hearing ‘I am my machine’ looped over soft, itchy synths is strikingly empowering. A perfect gateway into my insular alter-ego.
DJ tennis – Divisions (Roman flügel remix)
Re-appropriated video from The Indian Tomb, the second film in Fritz Lang’s Indian Epic.
It’s a seductive track already but paired with Debra Paget’s magnetic beauty and snake charmer moves in her floating cabaret outfit legitimizes my secret demigoddess.
We won’t talk about the ogling eyes.
Joy Division – She’s Lost Control
A chilling and oddly joyful song about a subject close to home for Ian Curtis is a celebration of all strange and unique things nature bestows upon us, if we can embrace it with a bit of self-deprecating humour.
Fatima Al Qadiri – Hip Hop Spa
There’s a mystical and soothing quality about the chant-like Islamic vocals and melodic composition over ice cold synthetic drums, making this a superb soundtrack for an actual, futuristic Hip Hop Spa where you can hang out amongst people who don’t want to say one word to each other.
VANDANA – Nothing of Consequence
A virtual road trip through an apocalyptic, dusty emerald city. Utopian, dystopian, martian. This song was conceived as dislocation of subverted ideas, nothing is of consequence here and yet it all very much is.
Beak> – The Broken Window
Tense, musty. Phantoms creepily mock you, boundless delirium and joylessness here. Leaves a nostalgic British taste in my mouth.
Radiohead – Spinning Plates
A razor caught in between his tongue slipping and slitting with each backwards arpeggio roll, this song to me is deeply satisfying in its unease, possibly my Radiohead favourite.
Günther Lause – Loose Your (LUL003)
Lose all awareness, you’re jelly, no one’s watching. There’s a delicious grace about this song and the official video corrupts it stunningly.
Aphex Twin – Jynweythek
This isn’t his usual insidious, envelope pushing mind fuck. But the soothing piano and harpsichord ping-pongs dangling in thin inconsequential air is the perfect lullaby to ward off any lingering apparitions.
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“Vicious” is out now, taken from the upcoming Nox Anima EP, out April 21st. Vandana is playing Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival this weekend in Florida. Keep up with Vandana here.
