Supra

Globetrotting sound artist Dijf Sanders’ latest sonic trip was to Georgia in the South Caucasus in 2022. Previous field recording trips to Indonesia and Nepal led to the albums Java (2017) and Puja (2020). The album title literally translates as ‘tablecloth’ in Georgian and is synonymous with large communal feasts. With the assistance of Georgian traditional musicians, the Amer-Imeri Ethnic Ensemble, Sanders delves into polyphonic Georgian choral music. It works particularly well on the album’s standout track, ‘Water of Chailuri’, which highlights ethereal singing, accompanied by the sad sound of the bowed chuniri, Sanders’ recurring melody and waves of synths. ‘Night in Panther Skin’ features the saz (long-necked lute) player Nargile Mehtieva, Georgian chants and what sound like ‘spaced-out’ bird calls. Sanders also adds found sounds from his travels to the fabric of his dense recordings. Although the overall tone of the album is melancholic, there are dancefloor moments and sweeping synths that give some tracks a prog rock feel. Considering the musical travelogues he has released so far, Supra is his most assured to date.