RA Sessions: Sandunes - Ever Bridge (intro) / SSP4/Untitled / The Trust

Resident Advisor
Published on Aug 10, 2017

One of India’s leading electronic music artists performs her dazzling live set.

“There are some amazing artists coming out of India,” a woman named Dhwani told us at Magnetic Fields last year.

'There were always a lot of artists—ten years back, 20 years back—but [now] I think they’re getting a platform,' said a woman called Saloni.

It’s likely they were both referring to artists like Sanaya Ardeshir, who makes music under the name Sandunes. Ardeshir is part of a gradually swelling wave of Indian artists whose success locally is beginning to translate internationally. She produces and performs a highly engaging style of electronica that blends elements of UK club music with influences from her homeland. A track like “Crystal Pink,” which appeared on her 2016 album DOWNSTREAM, is a good introduction to her sound. Ardeshir intuitively sculpts the arrangement, building a series of subtle climaxes through soaring synth harmonies, while the drums rattle and fizz underneath.

Beyond the Sandunes project, she’s also built her profile through a series of collaborations. Ardeshir plays synths for the popular group Dualist Inquiry, and has worked with the famed Indian rock band Indus Creed. She’s also involved with Different Trains 1947, an upcoming project led by Actress that commemorates the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. They’ll perform at Liverpool’s Edge Hill railway station, the Barbican in London and the 2017 edition of Magnetic Fields.

We’d guess the thing that’s really drawn people to Sandunes is her live performances. Ardeshir has been playing piano since she was a child, and you can sense how natural she is in front of keys during this RA Session. The 15-minute set is made up of “Ever Bridge,” “SSP4/Untitled” and “The Trust,” a string of old, new and revised music.

Production credits:

Director - Stephen Dunn
Producer - Guy Clarke
Editor - Sophie Misrahi
Camera - Stephen Dunn, Sophie Misrahi, Guy Clarke
Sound Engineer - Jesal Chohan-Padia"