‘Skating on The Way’ is Canberra experimental artist Sia Ahmad’s first taste of her fourth solo record under the Shoeb Ahmad moniker. What’s been so interesting is the increasing interest in melodic and (often gothic) pop influences in her solo work. ‘Skating on the Way’ in particular features some pretty delicate vocals alongside exuberant live instrumentation from Peter Kossen, Luke Keanan-Brown and Maria Moles all merging into this kind of dreamy sun kissed blast of electronic bliss.
You might remember Sia as part of Australian improvising ensemble Tangents as well as Agency and Spartak.
This is what she has to say about her new work:
“The words began much like many of the words from that album – an unpacking of a heavy circumstance, impacted by the catharsis of shifting honesty within my identity. The music came a little bit after that but from a very different place to the soulful pop found on “quiver”, more a nod to what was to come once i had finished that exercise in songwriting and production.”
This single also features a dark techno remix from Liars’ Angus Andrew, taking the song in pretty much the exact opposite direction, where trying to reconcile the differences becomes a fascinating exercise of transpotting.
This is what he has to say about his remix:
“Sia’s work skates bravely between experimentalism and song, between the intimate and detached. I wanted to celebrate this fearlessness with an anthem to resilience – revelling in failure rather than lamenting it.”
Skating on the Way is out now. You can find it here.
