Sarnal Key

Sarnal Key is led by Gosha Ananchev, a Russian-born artist with roots in Milwaukee, Columbus, and the Pacific Northwest. SK channels a contemporary digital folk music inspired by new age, dub, house, kosmische, IDM, and spiritual jazz. With a more delicate expressive energy relative to the volume and intensity of Ananchev’s previous work in Absolutely, Outside, Youth Crush, and Dry Wedding, their emotionally psychedelic compositions can conjure forgotten memories and alter the listener’s perception of time, while also embracing the rhythm lineages of the early morning dance-floor come-down. Along with a handful of digital releases, SK has worked with Madison’s Variable Shadows and Brooklyn’s Enamelware to release their full length cassettes, 2020’s playful Haecceity of Spirit and 2021’s introspective Minor Planet Weak Spell. Sarnal Key self-released their most recent tape PROMISED WORKS in late 2023, showcasing a thoughtful attention to rhythm, mood, and texture.