Afar + Andi Otto & MD Pallavi

From the misty heights somewhere in the mountains, hidden and sheltered within thick, old walls – AFAR finished their new album. The Refuge is a collection of stories. Touching, drifting, driving. Soft and raw voices between rough synthesizer lines. Honest and vulnerable, bold and brave: A true journey, a real refuge.

Consisting of a collaboration between two musicians, AFAR seeks to bridge the distance between the natural and the industrial, exploring the paradox between organic and electronic. In some spaces, AFAR might build dance-oriented rhythms layered with haunting vocals. Whereas in others, the band creates moments of ambience composed of multi-instrumental soundscapes.

The South Indian singer MD Pallavi and the German cellist Andi Otto present their latest album “Songs For Broken Ships” (Pingipung, 2023), which opens up a fascinating spectrum between Ragas, Jazz improvisations with electronics, and dance tracks. The album was nominated for the German Record Critics’ Award. “The two succeed in […] creating wondrous synergy”, says Lev Nordstrom on greedyforbestmusic and the Igloomag commented on their first collaboration Bangalore Whispers: “A mystically futuristic sound design.”

MD Pallavi has been a singer since her childhood and tours internationally with her music and as an actress.
Andi Otto plays his cello with a self-developed sensor-enhanced bow that fuses the electronic processes with the traditional instrument. Their duo show bridges their contrasting musical traditions in energetic improvisations, built on the powerful bass of the hypnotic downtempo dance beats which Andi Otto is known to create – they often turn into spacious dub rhythms live on stage.

https://andiotto.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-broken-ships