There have been musicians experimenting with, and producing electronic music around the valley for some time now. However, it was only last year that a proper festival, which created a scene for electronic musicians to come together as a community, was commenced in the Capital. 

In 2016, Daniel Panjwaneey, the spear header of the Sine Valley festival, brought together musicians who play electronic instruments to explore the electronic genre in Nepal. The objective was to allow musicians to express themselves the way they want to as they connected to an audience that is curious and keen towards the genre of music.

The organisers describe Sine Valley as a “kind of electro cult”, which connects handpicked artists from different worlds to unify their distinct musical styles, techniques, technology, and art in the spirit of collective creation.

The second edition of the Sine Valley festival opened in the Capital on October 20 and the organisers claim it has been twice as big as last year’s installment. For its second iteration, the 10-day festival has brought together electronic musicians from Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, India, France, Germany, and Italy. The beauty of the fest 

lies in how every sample is different from the other and unique to the musician’s cultural context. The festival also comes out as very personal in the sense that the musicians are found channeling their emotions through the music. 

“Electronic music offers up a gateway of infinite possibilities, sometimes overwhelmingly so. But you can see each artist has made a choice that is unique to him or herself,” says Irina Giri, Nepali electronic musician, about the process. “It doesn’t matter what sound you use, as long as it expresses you.”

With six shows down, the second edition of the fest has been able to establish the Capital as niche but promising venue for electronic music makers and lovers alike. The audience has been able to enjoy the beauty of improvisation and experimentation as performing musicians play with their sonic instincts. 

The rest of the fest is slated to take place across four days at four different venues in Lalitpur. The festival will conclude on October 29.