Encas Serqhar is an electronic music project entirely composed, recorded and produced by the artist MDK who is based in Galway, Ireland. Drawing comparison to such acts as Clint Mansell, Daft Punk, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode. Encas Serqhar strive to create unusual sounds, emotive melodies, strange sonic atmospheres and generally eclectic yet memorable and catchy music with a broad appeal. The 3 track EP ‘Mesmerise’, due to be released in early Nov 2014, demonstrates the musical connotations of the aforementioned.

A brief summary of MDK’s relevant academic qualifications would include; Masters Degree in Musical Composition, Honours Degree in Multimedia (majoring in Audio Production), and a Diploma in Film Scoring from the Berklee College of Music. On a more practical level, he has been working in the industry for about two years now and has written several high profile pieces that have received public acclaim, for both television and radio. Writing music since the age of 7 years old, it was around that time that his Father purchased a piano for his Mother (on her birthday) and once he heard her playing it – he was hooked. The exploration of sounds and his musical journey had begun.

The name itself is taken from a short story that MDK wrote when he was younger. It featured a fictional city (entitled Encas Serqhar) and it basically represents creativity and original thought. All the music is written by MDK, and the music for the first album, from which the Mesmerise Ep is taken from is primarily electronic and reminiscent of bands like Justice, Kavinsky, College, Clint Mansell, Moby and Depeche Mode. It’s heavily inspired by French House and 80’s electronica. Much of the themes for the songs with lyrics are inspired by the sci-fi literature and the fictional story upon which the Encas Serqhar name was base. Due to this unusual creative basis, much of the music sounds a little otherworldly and bizarre – but in a pleasant way. Also, as a professional (classically trained etc) composer and sound designer, most of the songs are very heavily layered and not at all minimal, despite the current minimalist craze in pop/electronic music these days. There are upwards of 50 individual tracks/instrument parts on each song – “My attitude is if less is more, more is way more (if done correctly). Minimalism is often an excuse for mediocre musical minds”.

EP Tracklisting:

1 – Mesmerise

2 – Solas

3 – The Voices Of Our Dead Friends