Whilst drawing inspiration from Iraqi/Assyrian music and politics, Rita Mikhael’s work attempts to dismantle the lines between the often guarded genres of techno to industrial, with aims to create new work and space within them. The Iraq-born, Toronto-based producer’s re-imagining of marked tropes in industrial, techno, power electronics and noise surfaces as a refined embodiment of sounds, amassed within her EPs and several albums. Her tastes are further reflected in running the label Summer Isle with Max Klebanoff aka Death Kneel over the last four years, where their output has included the likes of Nick Klein and Jaclyn Kendall, to hardcore bands like Chlorine, showcasing a clearly defined sonic and visual aesthetic. Running specifically as a cassette label, the physical limitations have driven their sound and style.

Mikhael’s own new record, Dedicated to Sublimity, out on New York’s Bank Records represents the culmination of the multiple approaches and themes present throughout her work to date. Manifesting in harsh, shadowy landscapes, her tracks often form around brutal, heavy distortion, ominous synths, and muffled voices, fueled by relentless yet detailed drum lines. Also touching across acid, noise, hardcore, gabber to dark ambient, her tracks morph seamlessly through the genres. Mikhael herself however prefers to view techno more as a space to make “conscious effort to represent the emotional and cultural history of [it] as a movement”— as she pointed out in the following interview with Flora Yin-Wong.

FY-W What is behind the title for Dedicated to Sublimity?

E-S The release was assembled around fall/winter 2017 during a period when I was playing live frequently and was trying to bring new tracks to each show. I wanted to make something that accurately captured the current stage of my production methods and techniques that I’ve been developing throughout the timeline of E-Saggila. I definitely try to incorporate tropes from different genres or sounds into my own sound—and this record was intended to showcase the softer elements from my early releases against the rougher production traits from my more recent material. The title Dedicated to Sublimity is supposed to represent how the multiple approaches and themes present through the record culminate in one final product that I believe best represents E-Saggila.

FY-W You’ve been growing up around the Gulf War whilst living as an immigrant in Toronto. Do politics play a role in your music today?

E-S I was actually born just after the Gulf War but left the country around the 2003 invasion. Sometimes, there are accents in my work that depict my view of growing up in Iraq and the country itself but I don’t feel as though it’s at the forefront of this project. I definitely get a lot of inspiration from Iraqi/Assyrian music and politics in general and that sometimes peaks into my production without me realizing. Shortly after my family left to come to Canada, the remaining family I had would call every now and then and talk about the backyard parties and live music they had all while there was war around them. I like to think that they are sort of impervious to the chaos around them and cling to the present emotion which I believe can be crossed over to how people approach music and art. I also don’t know of many electronic artists from Iraq so I try to represent as much as I can.

FY-W As a highly prolific label, how did Summer Isle start and does it remain what you initially intended?

E-S Summer Isle started in 2014 by myself and Max K (Death Kneel). It was after us talking for a while about always wanting to start a tape label especially in Toronto and releasing our friends’ music. We were pretty adamant about releasing mainly industrial and noise, and strictly on cassette. Obviously as time went on, we became more open to releasing music outside those initial genres and incorporated more industrial, techno, and more abstract forms of music and sound. We are also planning to release our first LP this year which is something entirely new to us. Although we’ve expanded on what stylistic output is represented under Summer Isle, we remain steadfast in only releasing things we firmly believe in and support.

FY-W Is the history of power electronics and subversion something of relevance to your work (and/or the label in particular)?

E-S I would say the label definitely attempts to build a better sense of representation behind certain themes and ideals, which vary throughout our catalog. Each artist we release brings a new perspective on the established subject and demonstrates that through their material. I do believe power electronics and industrial is still something forceful and rigid that pushes the limits of what music and sound can be. There aren’t any rules on how to approach it and this sentiment is what I try to bridge with my own production and attitude towards music and art.

FY-W What informs the aesthetic behind the label?

E-S There is not much that dictates our aesthetic, other than the material has to be something that we really enjoy and can support fully. The only element that may inform what we release on Summer Isle is/was the cassette format itself, which has a narrow window for what music may lend itself best to the format. As for the label’s visuals, they vary heavily from release to release because we try to work directly with the artist to best represent the material they have given us to release.

FY-W How do you feel influential genres like techno and industrial have evolved in 2018?

E-S It’s definitely encouraging to see the different ways people incorporate their own themes and personal motifs within techno and industrial. I think they’ve evolved based on artists being more fearless and dedicated in introducing their own personalities into techno as a cultural meeting place. I know people like to stick to the same fundamental elements of both techno and industrial, but it’s important to also dismantle both styles systematically in an effort to create new spaces and sounds that better embody those heavily involved in this type of music. I don’t think there’s a singular lane that everyone must perform within when it comes to techno or industrial. What I appreciate is when producers and individuals within techno as a space of cultural production make a conscious effort to better represent the emotional and cultural history of techno as a movement rather than just dissect the technical aspects of the genre until there is no meaning left.

FY-W How do you feel about performing live? E.g. is it something cathartic and physical, or perhaps more pre-calculated and prescriptive?

E-S I usually get pretty anxious 30 minutes before a set, but once I start playing things immediately become much more relaxed. I definitely don’t look like I’m doing much when paired with what I’m actually playing, so that can sometimes be funny. Whenever I play, I’m pretty zoned in so I’m not aware of what’s around me. I let the catharsis attitude speak through the set but it’s also calculated into something more technical and refined.

Dedicated to Sublimity is out now on Bank Records.