Premiere: jik – arp

Cnidae is a Latin word for specific cells present among jellyfish, sea anemones, corals etc. It is these cells that separate cnidarians from other animals. Cnidarians are built in a very simple way, lacking skeleton animals. They seem to be innocent and beautiful, but there is also a sense of mystery, weirdness and wobbliness in them. They use cnidae, explosive cells, to capture prey and as a defence from predators. They do so by the use of toxins contained within the cnidae. If you have ever been stung by a jellyfish or felt the electric tingle from the tentacles of a sea anemone, you have been touched by cnidae.

cnidae is the sixth album released on the Ransom Note Records offshoot Bytes. jik is Paula, 21, and Bartek, 23, students based in Warsaw, Poland. cnidae is their debut album. Paula’s raw sketches formed the basis for almost all of the tracks. They were made in Ableton Intro, proof that constraints can be beneficial and also a reminder that great music doesn’t have to be created on sophisticated gear.

The album is made up of two extended ambient/drone pieces, embedded alongside several shorter, abstract electronic compositions. You are hearing 'arp', which falls into the latter category. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. The reflective, moving track is reminiscent of early AI-era Warp Records, with its lush pads and twinkling melody. 

cnidae is released on June 26, 2020 on limited edition cassette and download. Pre-order the cassette on Bandcamp now and get an advance download of 'arp'. Buy HERE.