Deep Minimalism (i) is a gentle excursion perfect for our shared moment of collective unease. Newsha Khalaj is a Vancouver-based violist and the author of this mix. She put this tracklist together with a purpose. As she explains, “I needed these soothing, shifting, deep-moving sounds—life was a little heavy for a while, for personal reasons—and these songs, this mix, is that.” Khalaj sent me the tracks and I mixed them live, which was a really meditative process.
In July, Khalaj played as part of the Slow New Way Ensemble for Nadia Sirota’s Living Music series, one of the more interesting quarantine concerts I’ve seen. The Ensemble performed the world premiere of a new work by Richard Reed Parry [Bell Orchestre, Arcade Fire], made especially notable as it was performed live via Zoom by musicians in Berlin, Montreal, New York and Los Angeles. The rest of the episode is equally worth your time, of course, including a performance by Clarice Jensen. (Joseph Sannicandro)
MINI-INTERVIEW
Please introduce yourself.
I’m Newsha, and I’m a violist again, I guess? I was studying to be a human rights lawyer, and was working on lots of art projects before that. I took time off from music—I was coming from these school establishments, and I felt a bit stuck in the structure. I’ve been so lucky since then to expand and make music differently than what I was used to and trained to do, and it’s really shown me that I don’t need to be so limited, not like I felt before. But really, I’m combining all 3 now, because why pick?
Institutions are funny that way, it’s important to have a tension there. I’m sure many of our readers can relate. So where are you based? I always like to hear about local scenes.
I’m in Vancouver now, but before that I was in Malmö, Sweden, and London, UK before that. So it’s been a bit of a reintroduction to me, being back in Vancouver, in the music scene. There is a lot of amazing stuff – Western Front [artist-run centre], Quiet City [deep-listening concerts], New Forms Festival, Music on Main, Lobe Studio. But I do feel like there’s still something left to be desired in the Vancouver music scene, and it’s something I’ve felt for a long time.
Here’s to the future. What’s on your agenda coming up?
I played on an episode of Nadia Sirota’s Living Music series, for a breathing/playing piece written by Richard Reed Parry. And it was so beautiful and imaginative and satisfying and so fun to do over Zoom. I’m currently working on a concert series, we’re going to present works that you don’t really hear in Vancouver—Meredith Monk, John Luther Adams, Nico Muhly, Max Richter, Du Yun—and our first concert will be in early October.
Wow, sounds great! Thanks Newsha. Until Deep Minimalism (ii)….
Emma Kohlmann, “Untitled” (2017)
song – artist
1. Julianna Barwick – Having To You
2. Susumu Yokota – Kirakiraboshi
3. Dirty Projectors, Björk – Ocean
4. Arooj Aftab – Island No.1
5. Isao Tomita – Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune, No.3
6. Andrea Belfi – Shale
7. Mary Lattimore, Mac McCaughan – III
8. Skylar Skjelset – No-Input
9. Clarice Jensen – From This From That Will Be Filled (a)
10. Son Lux – Young
11. Richard Reed Parry – Sai No Kawara (River of Death)
12. Brian Eno – 2/2
13. Susumu Yokota – Azukiiro No Kaori
14. Hiroshi Yoshimura – Water Copy
a closer listen 