“Travelogue”, by Yak 40: Experimental electronica from the hills!

Yak 40 is the artistic moniker of Egor Antoshchenko, a traveling musician, based out of, as he likes to put it, “somewhere between Thailand, Vietnam, India and Nepal”. His sound is inspired from the travels he’s undertaken, from small Himalayan villages far up in Nepal, to Indian influences — and his debut album, “Travelogue”, sums up his sonic eurekas — keep reading for my thoughts!

The 9-piece album has a sound that stands out from the very beginning — the opener, “Uncle Boonmi”, is an atmospheric, experimental electronic piece that makes fluent use of real-world instruments and organic sound textures to present a calming, serene atmosphere; setting the stage for the rest of the album quite well, Yak brings all kinds of inspirations into the mix — and as we segue to the second track, “Other Shores”, the sound and energy evolve into a downtempo chill house style, retaining all the flair and experimentalism of the first, only this time, it is kept in pulse and groove quite well by the minimalistic drumming and the mallet synths that dot this track.

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As we journey through the course of “Travelogue”, we encounter tracks like “Swirls”, “Vox En Go”, and “Glassworks”, each of which stand out in their own unique ways, while still retaining the flair and fervor of the tracks that precede and succeed them — and as the sound evolves gently, we’re left in awe of the sheer versatility at play here.

The production on “Travelogue” is a wildly avant-garde affair that impresses at every turn — be it the textured, granular sound design, or the flawless, wide and atmospheric mixing, there’s polish at every bar, and there’s resolve and great execution at every second. The tracks “Mahalaxmi Untd” and the curtain call, “Anatta”, bring the sound of this album full circle indeed, as we’re left hankering for the repeat button.

All in all, “Travelogue” — the album title couldn’t have been any better for the sheer journey this is — precise yet unabashed in its sound, this album is sure to impress. Check out the album here!