India-based Qilla Records celebrates its centennial release with the monumental ‘Chakravyūh’ VA. Stretching across continents, this remarkably vast 35-track gathering underscores the label as a musical fortress for spirited, unconventional artistry.
As his name suggests, Kohra (رہ()ک Urdu for ‘fog’ or ‘mist’) has a presence that isn’t easily tied down or defined. His unorthodox approach to music has made him an integral part of the Indian underground dance music scene over the last 10 years. Weaving psychedelic textures from the realms of jungle to ambient, his characteristic sound has become familiar across local festivals and clubs to those in international territory. In 2011, he founded the India-based Qilla Records. Meaning ‘fort’ or ‘castle’ in Urdu (قلعه), the label serves as a musical sanctuary for uniting innovative and unconventional artistry from near and far.
In true celebration, the label’s 100th release ‘Chakravyūh’ highlights the interwoven sound identity of 34 pan-Asian and European artists across the world. With the title derived from the Old Sanskrit meaning for the image of a spinning wheel, the compilation makes reference to the many cyclical journeys culminating the release to this very point.
Minimal Collective’s premiere hones in on Kohra’s ‘A Bird Above the Clouds’. Appearing at number fifteen, the track by the label-head dissolves into a hypnotic fantasy that flies beyond us, overhead. An immersive navigation across deep-tech horizons and a rush into the unorthodox.
Chakravyūh [QR100]
Full tracklist:
01. Re:Axis - Inner C hild
02. Fonzo - Marbling Voices
03. Polygonia - Shadow Cave
04. ALPI - Novilunio
05. Atomic Moog - Quad Phase
06. Audio Units - Halcyon
07. SHFT - Temple Of The Serpent
08. Olt Voct - Voltage Controlled Human
09. Yuka - Il Mondo
10. DJ M.A.X - Ask Your Body
11. Save Your Atoll - 90's Steps
12. VERMISST - Sempiternal
13. Einox - Glass Meer
14. 9beats - Hanokh
15. Kohra - A Bird Above The Clouds
16. ARTIFVCT - Disintegrate
17. KR:DS - UFOs In Town
18. Leo Cologna - Spectral Operations
19. ELM - Daboia
20. Synister (IN) - Pixel Pull
21. Midnight Traffic - Mantis
22. Human Space Machine - Cell
23. Moisk - 13th Floor
24. Vishal Unni - Monomyth
25. Monophonik - Hypertension
26. Kohra, SHFT - Morjim Mystery
27. Zequenx - Retrograde
28. Temple Rat - Walpurgis Nacht
29. Dotdat - Shoulder Shake
30. Elisa Batti - Before The Rain
31. Namhar - Afterglow
32. Innerworld - Oberon
33. K.O.P. 32 - Sined
34. I7HVN - Hold My Hand
35. Sunju Hargun - मूलानि
Chakravyūh will be out on May 20th, 2024. Order a copy via Bandcamp.