On his upcoming Shuffle Mode EP for the Cumba Mela imprint, NYC-based producer Atropolis (a.k.a. Adam Partridge) touches on immigration, a topic that’s been in the news a lot lately. Instead of venturing into the political debate, his simply titled “Immigrant” explores the human side of moving to a new land. He’s joined by Ani Challa on vocals on the percussive, hypnotic song. Together, they bridge electronic vibes with an understated flourish of Indian-inspired vibes.
Atropolis says, “‘Immigrant’ began with a mantra Ani’s mother taught him when he was a child. The production accompanies Ani’s dual identify as a first generation Indian immigrant who migrated to the south at the age of 6. The sentiment behind Ani’s lyric’s resonates deeply to me as a second generation Cypriot American. The fabric of this country is deeply rooted in migration. It’s important to celebrate being an immigrant as its value sometimes feels forgotten with today’s political climate.”
Ani Challa adds that the song is “a reflection on how any immigrant must feel leaving their old lives behind for a dream. The constant reassurance of oneself on who they are, why they are here, and how hard are you willing to push yourself to that dream to come true … being proud and remembering who you are is what we get to tap into. Spreading the love of our culture in sharing a different perspective on the American dream is what we get to start talking about!
Get a first listen below, and be sure to check the full EP on September 28.
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