About

Nadia Khan returns on Scissor and Thread for another sublime mini LP, Port Ana. Based in North Carolina,
Khan first drew a lot of attention via a cassette release on Where To Now? In recent years, there’s been a quiet stream of superb ambient, drone and downtempo music trickling out across the US, but you could be forgiven for not having noticed. Concentrating around Soundcloud mix series, Bandcamp compilations and limited vinyl runs, these artists have seeped into the consciousness of the global scene as unassumingly as their music and Nadia Khan is part of this sphere. Her emotive releases in recent years and on Scissor And Thread reflect the same nuanced approach to sound design. 

Her sophomore statement was the beautiful In Gleam released in 2018 on Francis Harris’ Brooklyn-based label, which set the tone for these five tracks of meditative music. The title track "Port Ana" opens the journey - a gentle, droning soundscape with effortlessly bewitching glints of melody.

"Conversation" follows on, drawing on loops and textures to create the background for a deep, pulsing kick drum. The sounds shift and evolve, leaving a hazy sense of movement to drift away to. Next up is "Objects In Form" which presents a fragile chord progression that barely holds itself together, surrounded by shifting pads and swathes of reverb. "Rain Again" is presented here in two versions. The original combines ethereal sounds, weightless and adrift, while the Lawrence remix firmly grounds the track with a hypnotic, deep groove. The Dial boss provides another remix for the digital release that further plays with the textures of the original to create something that works both for an open minded dancefloor and as a home listening experience. Port Ana comes with a wonderful visual album directed & edited by Lauren Goshinski, cinematography by Marc Havener.



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Label: Scissor and Thread
Format: Vinyl, 12", EP
Country: Germany
Released: Nov 27, 2020
Genre: Electronic
Style: Ambient
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File under: Ambient / Experimental / IDM