Lazuleen

Self-released • June 10, 2022

alternative rock shoegaze indie rock indian indie indian fusion indian classical ambient music

In their sophomore album, Lazuleen, Minaxi harnesses a unique sonic palette, blending Eastern and Western musical traditions and propelling it into diverse trajectories. Thematically, the album is a conversation between life and the world it inhabits. Emotionally, the songs delve into themes of love, death, beauty, freedom, and nostalgia for one's home. These are addressed to the oceans, skies, trees and winds through the lens of the lazuli bunting, the blue songbird. Fluent in English and Hindi, this particular songbird sings the story via the narrative of eleven A-sides and a handful of B-sides and remixes.

The writing/recording process for "Lazuleen" began in June 2019 and was completed in August 2021. The drums were recorded live in January 2021 at The Bunker studio in Brooklyn by Todd Carder. The performances were accomplished without the use of any metronome to retain the live energy of the band. This approach also highlighted the natural variation in the band's tempo proportional to the change in dynamics of the compositions. The subsequent overdubs were then performed and recorded by Minaxi at their practice space.

The album's execution is augmented by the collaborations of Minaxi's friends and guest musicians, Luke Santy and Theadora Curtis; saxophonist, Alison Shearer; composer, drummer and dhol player, Sunny Jain; and Simon Scott, a prolific ambient artist and the drummer in the legendary shoegaze/dream pop band, Slowdive.

Tracks

Original music composed, arranged and performed by Minaxi. Additional performances by Sunny Jain, Alison Shearer, Luke Santy and Theadora Curtis.
Remixes by LUKEINTERNET and Simon Scott. All songs except Orchid written by Shrenik Ganatra. Orchid written by Liam Christian.

Disc 1

Hey Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Mother Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

The Deep Blue Sea Conveys Your Love Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Adore Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Manchala Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Lost In The Water Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Orchid Lyrics • Written by Liam Christian

Reese Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Alive I Feel When I Look In Your Eyes Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

August Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Phir Manchala Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Disc 2

Dua Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Free Me Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Adore - LUKEINTERNET Remix Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Orchid - Acoustic Demo Lyrics • Written by Liam Christian

The Deep Blue Sea Conveys Your Love - Simon Scott "Modular" Remix Lyrics • Written by Shrenik Ganatra

Merch

Limited Edition Deluxe LP + Booklet $27 USD

This deluxe packaging of Minaxi's sophomore album, Lazuleen includes the following:
A gorgeous blue vinyl, double-sided insert enclosed in a beautifully designed cover.
A 36 page booklet containing the lyrics, artwork, liner notes, photography and credits.
A digital download of the album featuring 11 A-sides and 5 B-sides, plus a bandcamp exclusive digital version of the 40 page booklet, digital posters and album artwork.

Buy Record / Vinyl

Limited Edition Green Cassette + DLC $11 USD

This limited, Green edition of the Lazuleen tape is designed with love and care. It's a perfect present for yourself or your friends, family and special ones. The packaging comes with the following:
A Green tinted tape featuring all eleven A-sides on the album in the highest quality.
A superlative quality eight panel J-card containing the artwork and lyrics for the songs, and album information.
A high quality digital download of the extended version of the album, featuring eleven A-sides and five B-sides and Remixes. The digital download also comes with high quality artwork and a 40 page booklet.

Buy Cassette

If you’re looking for a band taking a fresh spin on the gaze sound then look no further than Minaxi. This group are forging their own path and with Lazuleen they have created a real statement of intent. This is their sound and one that I suspect you will love too. DKFM Shoegaze Radio. Read the full article by clicking here.

Full Time Aesthetic: There is a lot of beauty and love here, but also doubt, longing and loneliness. Lazuleen ends on an upbeat note, with things coming full circle in August, when “it feels like once again joy is in the air.”

Bandcamp Reviews:
• A forward thinking work, viewed through the eyes of late 1980s shoegaze & dream pop.
• This album so effortlessly feels both classic and new from the very beginning.
• If you see a fish floating along in the water don't bite it. Let it drift on by. Drift on by.
• This album finds a balance between the structurally-detailed bombast of post-rock and the dopamine rush of classic shoegaze.
• Blue, has been given an emotion, and a colour, and now has a sound. The album bathes you in the sonic guitars and instruments that flow together like a summer storm. Simply put? this album has become the new soundtrack to my summer, and many seasons to come. You become a better person after experiencing it.

Videos

Gallery

Credits

Produced by Patrick Hunt and Minaxi.
Mixed and mastered by Patrick Hunt.
Drums by Steve Carlin.
Guitars, vocals, bass and additional instrumentation by Shrenik Ganatra and Liam Christian. Bass, additional vocals on Adore and additional vocals on Alive I Feel When I Look In Your Eyes by Theadora Curtis. All percussion on Phir Manchala by Sunny Jain.
Flute and sax by Alison Shearer.
Sitar by Luke Santy.

Recorded January–August 2021 in Brooklyn.
Drums engineered and recorded by Todd Carder at the Bunker studio in Brooklyn.
Guitars, bass and vocals recorded by Shrenik Ganatra.
Vocals for Orchid recorded by Liam Christian. Additional vocals on Adore and Alive I Feel When I Look In Your Eyes recorded by Theadora Curtis. All percussion on Phir Manchala recorded by Sunny Jain.
Flute and sax recorded by Alison Shearer.
Sitar recorded by Luke Santy. Adore (LUKEINTERNET Remix) arranged and remixed by Luke Santy aka LUKEINTERNET.
The Deep Blue Sea Conveys Your Love (Simon Scott “Modular” Remix) arranged, remixed and mastered by Simon Scott at SPS mastering.

Covers photographed by Mark Laubenheimer at Elle studios in Brooklyn.
Concept, design and creative direction by Shrenik Ganatra. Licensed and pressed by Oscarson Records in Germany.
Oscarson No. 42 • oscarson-label.com. © ℗ 2022 Minaxi. All rights reserved.