Mallung Records X Space Eka #2

On one of the first days, I took a short nap after a morning of yoga, chatting and having breakfast in this beautiful place.

I woke up from this nap with a tune in my head, quite clearly inspired by my surroundings and knowledge of what instruments and sounds were at my disposal during the week. The track had a repetitive, reverb/subby bassline (which would be played by Uvindu), the sounds of nature (with FX on), some solo / improvised violin (over a pedal string section texture) and some improvised pahatharata bera and hakgediya. 

I spent the week putting this tune down in Ableton and adding layers to it. I hope for it to be released at some point. It was my first time making anything that sounds like this, but it nicely crosses genres and musical interests of mine, even though it sounds so different!

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Aside from putting this track together, we did so many other things as a group.

• A long and thorough chat about the sample pack we were recording during the week

• The intentions behind recording it, whether or not it would be quantised, and who the intended users would be. Much of the pahatharata bera tradition differs from what those who haven’t trained in this music idiom would be used to hearing. To a foreign ear, this music may sound ‘out of time’, when really it is supposed to have this lilting feel — this is ultimately what gives it its character and uniqueness. With this in mind, how do we create an accessible and usable sample pack for musicians to utilise? This chat was fruitful and took into account all challenges and opinions from the whole group. It was special to be involved with this process.

• On one of the first mornings, we walked the edges of the Sinharaja Rainforest and settled by a stream for a meditation. Mindful and wellness activities of this nature seeped into the whole week, for this I am grateful.

• We recorded Kavi and bera within nature.

• late night pal Kavi recited alongside crickets 

• bera played to the valleys with mics capturing the sound of the birds, insects and natural reverb from the surrounding area

• we recorded kavi sang at the edges of the rainforest, moments after a monsoon rain had fallen

• Jam sessions in the evenings

• These jam sessions allowed me to observe how our different musical backgrounds could come together while participating as a violinist 

• It was really interesting to see how this ensemble (pahatharata bera, bass, drum kit, hakgediya, electronics and violin) came together and fed off one another

• Kaley Tea Estate walks

• On a couple of the days we went down to the shop / the tea factory in the estate

• Here we were able to see how the tea is made and the operation works

• I met the Tamil children from the estate on the last day and hope to come back to perhaps run some music workshops with them

• There is a long and sad history here which the wonderful leaders of this project are trying to better, including exposing these children other opportunities life could bring them 

Mallung Records X Space Eka

I have just completed my first artist residency in my home country, Sri Lanka. 

My musical journey has drawn me to my heritage over the last six years, and this is as close any anyone could get having never lived in their heritage country.

The residency took place on Kaley tea estate, Ilukpitiya. A group of wonderful people congregated for a week to embark on a new venture. New label boss, Rachitha Seneviratne, brought together a crew of ritual drummers and contemporary musicians who are interested in making new cross-genre sound and music.

How this is achieved is a question we have tried to answer individually, and coming together to discuss and develop these ideas has been one of the most fruitful experiences of my life to date.

SpaceEka (The Space), founded by Jayamputhi Guruge, are working together with Kaley Tea Estate to uplift the communities who work for them via education, healthcare and further opportunities with those who attend residencies here.

Our crew:

• Jayamputhi Guruge (residency co-facilitator, SpaceEka founder)

• Rachitha Seneviratne (residency co-facilitator, Gihing Ennang founder)

• Shalini Wanninayaka (movement artist)

• Shehan OB (videographer and photographer)

• Chamila (chef)

• Ruwan Wijalamage: Sri Lankan Traditional Drummer & Dancer, Choreographer, Folk singer & Sound researcher. Graduated; BA Hons in Drama & Theatre University of Visual & Performing Arts (UVPA). Visiting lecturer at UVPA & University of Moratuwa. OIC, Cultural Development at the Madurawala Cultural Centre.

• Galagedara Piyumal Madushanka: Sri Lankan Traditional Drummer and Dancer, Low Country Ritual Artist, and Low Country drumming and dancing instructor.

  Sumudi Suraweera: ethnomusicologist and drummer, co-founder of Music Matters.

• Nadika Weligodapola: composer (film, contemporary folk, fusion, experimental), music producer, performing artist, founder of THEEVRA

• Uvindu Perera: talented bassist and double bassist, jazz influence, experimental style

• Vinthya Perinpanathan: Born in the Netherlands, based in the UK. Sri Lankan composer and DJ, studying a PhD in Sri Lankan music culture and history.

• Nisal Subasinghe: Sri Lankan producer and DJ, now living in Singapore.

We spent the week getting to know each other in the most beautiful surroundings, having fruitful conversations and making music together, both collectively and individually.

Mallung Records will release music born out of the residency, as well as a sample pack we recorded during the week. I am extremely excited for my first releases as an artist to be via this label — it just makes sense!

More info coming soon, I just wanted to archive a quick summery before continuing on my  research trip here in Sri Lanka.