On his forthcoming release on acclaimed label Stroom, the Copenhagen-based producer and electronic musician Anton Friiisgaard travels new paths, as he explores gamelan music in close collaboration with Balinese musicians, afliated with Ubud’s acclaimed Gamelan scene.

After experiencing a concert with the ensemble Gamelan Salukat at Roskilde Festival in 2018, Friisgaard became inspired to contact Dewa Alit from the ensemble. With the aim of bringing forth a unique expression through the meeting of two distinct musical traditions, Friisgaard traveled to Ubud, Bali and spent 3 weeks in a private residence, recording, composing and improvising in close collaboration with the ensemble.

The result is the album Teratai Åkande, made together with artists Pande Made Gangga Sentana, I Nyoman Suwida, Dewa Badukz, Suryana Putra and Pande Made Gangga of Gamelan Salukat.

Conceptually, Teratai Åkande seeks to create a synthesis of acoustic and electronic expressions, establishing two worlds on each side of a metaphorical portal that the listener is welcomed to traverse. The result is a musical landscape which at once feels mysterious and hypnotic, while at the same time manifesting a sense of groundedness.

With its lucid underpinnings, the music thus feels as the crossing of a more mundane portal; namely that of slowly letting go of consciousness and falling into deep sleep, only to find oneself in the midst of vivid dreaming.