The Story of Blood Over Water.

Introduction / Blood Over Water is the debut SXCALA release by Militiā. Featuring 5 original tracks that traverse a raw, cinematic landscape; from four to the floor club focused pounders through to experimental Techno and Drum & Bass hybrids.

The Story of Blood Over Water is one widely known by many as the inherent need to engage with what we are naturally bound to, over that which offers self-preservation. Often described as an instinctual reaction as opposed to a cognitive choice, the phrase invokes thoughts of fate, destiny and self-surrender and has appeared in scripture both religious and non-religious over thousands of years.

As the first release on the SXCALA imprint, ‘Blood Over Water’ represents a new way of thinking, one which embodies ingrained creative experience and defines a new path forwards. The EP features an array of tracks which are aptly named to conjure a timeline of events leading to the launch of the SXCALA project, a journey which begins with ‘No Name, No Number’.

A1 | No Name, No Number

‘No Name, No Number’ resembles the ambiguous and unidentifiable default state that all creative journeys expand from, the point of inception. Before something can have substance and meaning, it must first be given an identity, a name or a number, as without this identity creativity fails to deliver on it’s purpose.

A2 | Blood Pressure

Once an identity has been chosen, emotion naturally takes over. With the rise of ‘Blood Pressure’, creative identities become tangible ideas which are refined through the hard fought battles in the ebbs and flows of curation and design – the core building blocks of an immersive creative concept and the raw ingredients that give a project it’s attitude and lifeblood.

A3 | Beneath Silence

It’s often what isn’t said next that defines the true direction of a new identity, the third track on the release ‘Beneath Silence’ resembles the thousands of undetected, subconscious thought processes that take place during this phase of conceptualisation. It is here where whispering thoughts go to die and only what is essential to thrive remains.

B1 | Self-Affliction

Next, there is a tendency for self-doubt and introspection. All good creatives tear away at their own ideas in a state of manic refinement. Enter ‘Self-Affliction’, the first B-side SXCALA production which brings a Drum & Bass slant into a predominantly Techno sound palette, depicting both the tough and transient styles of each respective genre.

B2 | Inside Your Veins

Closing the release is the final track ‘Inside Your Veins’, which is served as raw as the title suggests. The need to create comes from deep within and for many it is not a situation of choice, but rather an ingrained need that runs through their veins, and in this sense, creatives are forever bound to choose Blood Over Water.