Leila Abdul-Rauf - Insomnia (2015)

As a solo composer, San Francisco based, multi-instrumentalist Leila Abdul-Rauf stylistically diverges from her current and previous work in much heavier projects (Vastum, Ionophore, Hammers of Misfortune, Amber Asylum, Bastard Noise), and finds a home on Malignant side label, Antibody. Insomnia represents her first CD release following an LP on Saadi Saati in 2013, and a collaborative 7" with Tor Lundvall on Dais Records in 2014. Insomnia brings the spirit of these earlier releases to a new level of dynamic richness, with additional instrumentation and several guest contributions. Brass, piano and various other textures are delicately woven into filmic soundscapes that echo the sounds of memories faded through time. Solemn vignettes seem to emanate from an early morning dream state, the late autumnal tones and noir-ish melodies drifting through fog, evoking feelings of quiet isolation and solitude. Recalling haunting and desolate places, a private world is exposed, where time and space are distilled down to what remain of distant pasts and hidden emotions, melded into a symphony of ethereal melancholy. In 6 panel digipak with striking and complementary artwork by renowned artist Mark Thompson, Insomnia represents some of the most beautifully emotive and introspective work ever to grace the Malignant roster. For fans of: Tor Lundvall, Caul, Lisa Gerrard, Dead Can Dance.