Austrailan trio Hashshashin have announced a crowdfunding campaign for their new record “Śaraṇaṃ,” slated for release in November 2023 on Art As Catharsis.
Sydney’s Hashshashin are known for their unique fusion of odd time signatures, Psychedelic textures and Drone with influence from Eastern musical traditions. Their albums “nihsahshsaH” (2016) and “Badakhshan” (2019) earned praised from music publications, and earned the band build an engaged and loyal fanbase.
While band’s last full length album “Badakhshan” featured expansive instrumentation, their third (and perhaps final) release “Śaraṇaṃ” sees the band develop a new sound focused on the rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan.
“I’ve been entranced by the classical music of Afghanistan,” says guitarist Lachlan R. Dale, “there is something so soulful and hypnotic by the sound of the rubab. When hear masters like Ustad Mohammad Omar and Ustad Rahim Khushnawaz, I can’t help but feel a deep connection with the music, which expresses something I’ve been slowly fumbling towards.“
“Badakhshan represented a long search across different styles and instruments to trying and find a new sound for the band. It mirrored my own journey across the area, exploring the culture and collecting musical instruments. Thematically and sonically, its searching and expansive. Śaraṇaṃ, however, is much more grounded. It’s a deep, inward journey – very focused, meditative and hypnotic.“
On social media, the band described the sound of the new release as “sort of like if Godspeed You! Black Emperor were from Afghanistan.” Influences can be detected from artists like Secret Chiefs 3, Om and Grails. All the cores elements of their signature style remain – odd-time grooves, polymetrics, cinematic peaks, and meditative, reflective moments – but are in a more refined and focused manner.
“We think this record features the best material of our career,” continues Lachlan. “It feels like the culmination of our 9 years of playing and writing music together. We’re asking our fans to help us bring this creative vision to life.“
Hashshashin‘s crowdfunding campaign for “Śaraṇaṃ” is live now over on Pozible, and wraps up on 31 July 2023.
Watch the crowdfunding video through the YouTube player below:
Visit the crowdfunding page here: https://www.pozible.com/project/materialise-hashshashins-3rd-album
