TUNE OF THE WEEK: A SUMMONING (ENCHANTED MASK)
(ΠϢΑϪЄ, 2022)
ΠϢΑϪЄ are a mysterious collective, so mysterious in fact, that their name isn’t even supposed to be pronounced out loud. The name ΠϢΑϪЄ is an Egyptian word and in English are vocally referred to as “The Word”. They are a group of musicians not based in any specific country and their recordings are done in secret.
The Psychedelic World Of Witchcraft is the 2nd release in their Halloween compilation series. It’s inspired by trance and 70s psychedelic music under the thematic umbrella of Eastern mysticism, magick and the occult.
A Summoning by Enchanted Mask is the lead single of the release, written in Sanskrit and based on an ancient Hindu chant. The track is a hypnotic listening experience, where thundering percussion and driving baselines lend themselves to swirling female vocals. According to the group’s representative I spoke to, the repeated refrains seek to draw the listener into a meditative state and a higher spiritual awakening, channelling focus and clarity.
The project started originally as a label for artists to release progressive and alternative music while retaining their anonymity, but quickly became a rebirth cycle for the same musicians to push the boundaries of experimental music.
Read WAT’s previous Tune of the Week here.