St Petersburg's Alma Contra, awarded “Best Local Producer You Haven’t Heard Of” in 2014, has released a new song, “Kunduz Strike.”
Kunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan. In 2015 the Taliban attacked Kunduz and captured most of the city resulting in a massive amount of bloodshed between the Taliban and the Afghan military for 15 days.
“Being able to exist in a generally stable environment is a remarkable privilege,” the producer told CL. “[especially] given how many human lives are ensnared or lost due to oppressive policies in conflict zones throughout the world.”
Alma Contra has collected found footage of military operations in Afghanistan and Palestine which are the sirens and field noises you can hear in different sections of the song. The samples give the song power to mentally take listeners to Kunduz for just a few moments during this time of distress and war, and then allow a break with the light and rhythmic sounds of the drums and soothing ambient interludes.
“Despite electronic music and club culture often being portrayed and perceived in apolitical terms, these sounds and spaces have long been a conduit for political expression,” Alma Contra added.
Listen below, and follow Alma Contra on Soundcloud.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 2, 2017.