Kozhikode hosts unique ambient music event, Listening State: Vol 1

A bunch of ambient music artistes from different parts of the world will gather in Kozhikode today for the debut edition of Listening State, an ambient music festival showcasing a new acoustic experience in Kerala. 

Founded by electronic musician and experimental music enthusiast Wasim Kozhikode, whose ambient electronic music project Sacred Seeds, has performed at renowned festivals such as Magnetic Fields, Hilltop Festival, and Bloom in Green, Listening State opens the doors to an alternative sound culture. 

It is being presented in collaboration with Utopian Dystopia, a pioneering art and music platform known for bridging creative disciplines and cultivating independent cultural movements across Kerala. 

A niche genre, ambient music makers create an environmental soundscape, layering textures of sound to offer a deep listening experience. Conceived as a platform for experimental and exploratory music, the idea is to build a community that listens deeply, says Nisham Husain, founder of Utopian Dystopia. “The event brings together talented ambient musicians, who have been creating deeply inspiring soundverses and an informed audience that has been following ambient music,” Nisham adds.

A community-driven initiative, each volume of Listening State would present live electronic acts, sound artists, and improvisers who approach music as cultural exploration. The project exists to build a thoughtful audience for exploratory sound and to nurture collaboration across disciplines of art, technology, and design.

Apart from Wasim of Sacred Seeds, whose music blends synthesis, field recordings, and experimental sound design, the event features Atomic Phantom, founded by Japanese artist, designer and composer Jyoti Naoki Eri, based in Auroville. He has nine ambient albums to his credit and founded his own music label, Nādāsana, in 2022. Bufogaudi, an electronic music project of Oman-based artist Zeyad, co-founder of After 12 Collective, a key group in Oman’s experimental music scene, whose sound bridges ambient atmospheres with intricate rhythmic work.

Firas Shambeh’s Shoomb Sounds, electronic music producer from Muscat, Oman, who creates  experimental soundscapes from downtempo IDM (intelligent dance music) to uptempo techno and darkpsy (sub genre of psytrance). Shoomb now performs live using modular gear and hybrid DAW setups at art exhibitions, commercial shows, and international festivals including HillTop and Mutek. Firas is the co-founder of the After 12 Collective. 

Maheshwar Mannat and Shihad Huzzain, an ambient–experimental duo weaving piano and handpan into soulful, meditative soundscape, will also be showcasing their music. Shihab, a composer and producer, and Maheshwar, a drummer turned handpan artist, explore the space between rhythm and stillness. 

Adding to the mix will be Shoombufo, a collaborative project by Firas (Shoomb) and Zeyad (Bufogaudi). Both artists evolved from their roots as a drummer and guitarist into curators of electronic music with influences from progressive rock, heavy metal and reggae music. The duo crafts experimental work ranging from ambient, IDM, to Psytrance. 

Each set will unfold at the event as a curated sound experience, pairing live audio manipulation with immersive visual art.

It will be held at The Heritage, Kozhikode Beach, from 5pm to 10pm.