Midnight Traffic overcomes intentional creative constraints for ‘Option Paralysis Vol.1’
The first EP in a series of Bandcamp-only releases drops on October 6
Though Rishi aka Midnight Traffic has admitted on Instagram to being quiet on the Bandcamp front for almost a year, he makes up for it by independently releasing ‘Option Paralysis Vol.1’.
It marks his first EP in a series of Bandcamp-exclusive releases scheduled for the upcoming year.
In addition to being inspired by “the beauty of nature’s sounds”, the Hyderabad-based producer also gives credit to another source of motivation; creative constraints.
The series is said to delve into Midnight Traffic's innovative approach to music production, emphasising his commitment to pushing creative boundaries by deliberately restricting his toolkit.
In a musical landscape teeming with limitless possibilities and cutting-edge digital resources, it's easy to become overwhelmed and oftentimes distracted by choice. The idea behind the EP was to set up challenges on purpose, so he as an artist could explore what to create within those limits and overcome creative hurdles.
The result is four tracks that attest to his adroitness as a forward-thinking producer while continuing to explore his signature sound that traverses the darkest depths and brightest lights of techno.
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‘When in Doubt’ opens the aural experience with the atmospheric soundscape of nature sounds accompanied by a chuggy bass. ‘Free Fall’ revolves around ethereal pads crafted from field recordings, enhanced by synthetic melodies and percussion filled with captivating noise elements.
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He also draws inspiration from two of his native languages for the tracks ‘Salahalu’ (“suggestion” in Telugu) and ‘Thamaara’ (the Malayalam word for “lotus”), with the former offering a dance floor-friendly experience with its bubbling tension and hypnotic trance-like synth lines while the latter concludes the release with psychedelic textures and earthy, groove-inducing beats.
‘Option Paralysis Vol.1’ comes out on October 6; pre-order here.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
