MANAS is a duo comprised of Tashi Dorji and Thom Nguyen who will release the album The most yielding thing in the world will overcome the most rigid on October 30 via American Dreams. Conceptualized as the score for 100 Sunset, the feature film debut from Tibetan-Canadian director Kunsang Kyirong. The piece “100 sunset” sounds like the music you’d expect to hear in an ancient temple. It sounds mysterious, the production is immersive in its use of space and how it captures the texture of Dorji’s unconventional use of guitar and Nguyen’s almost impressionistic employment of drum, gong, cymbal and utility items for an effect like abstract free jazz. But it also has an analog, tactile quality that keeps you in wondering where this evolving set of sounds is going as it does move into different dynamics as the song progresses with the soundscape not so minimal and spacious at times but with an intricacy and establishment of atmosphere that isn’t fully dependent on sustained notes although there are some of those in the drones Dorji brings forth. By the end of the song one feels like one has undergone some kind of internal change of perspective and expectation in a way no standard pop song could effect. Fans of how John Hassell established unique moods in his own compositions with a transformative processing and performance of trumpet will recognize a creative kinship here. Listen to “100 sunset” on Spotify and follow Tashi Dorjii on Instagram.
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