Shcaa<\/a> isn\u2019t just a composer, he\u2019s a multidimensional artist. Beyond his mesmerizing ambient compositions and film scores, he expresses his creative vision through visual art. For the past nine years, he has crafted all of his own album covers, meticulously collecting photographs during his travels and night walks. These images are layered and superimposed to create intricate patterns and symbolism, a testament to his belief in the interconnectedness of all art forms. \u201cI don\u2019t consider myself a visual artist per se,\u201d he explains, \u201cbut creating my own covers has become an essential part of my practice. It\u2019s like speaking a secret language that merges sound and vision.\u201d Shcaa\u2019s ambition even extends to drawing, a new frontier he is eager to explore as part of his ongoing artistic evolution.<\/p>\nWhen asked whether artists have a responsibility to be activists, Shcaa offers a nuanced perspective. He acknowledges that art is one of the most profoundly human endeavors\u2014it can serve as a form of salvation, a means to raise awareness, and a way to provide solace in dark times. Yet, he cautions against over-politicizing art; for him, the most authentic message comes from the personal, the emotional, and the intimate. It is in these raw, unfiltered moments that true power\u2014and the drive for change\u2014resides.<\/p>\n
Shcaa\u2019s journey in music began in his final year of high school in Tunisia, where the rhythms of 60s rock and the intricate beats of British IDM filled his days. From those early experiences, his passion for sound has only grown, developing into a career that spans continents, genres, and cultures. <\/p>\n
Q: Your greatest inspirations or influences?<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nMy main inspiration is nature\u2014its beauty and its mysteries. When it comes to man made artworks,\u00a0 my influences evolve constantly. Some names that come to mind right now: Paul Motian, for his\u00a0 compositions\u2014simple yet deeply moving melodies. Miles Davis in the second half of the sixties.\u00a0 The Velvet Underground, Harold Budd, Loren Connors. I\u2019ve been really impressed recently by Eli\u00a0 Keszler\u2019s albums. Autechre\u2019s early digital works. Terry Riley\u2019s just intonation jams. Sam Gendel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Also: Joseph Conrad, Bi Gan, R. Murray Schafer, Herman Hesse, Henri Matisse, W.G. Sebald,\u00a0 Francisco de Goya.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Q: How is the current world around you part of your artistic process?<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe people closest to me have a great influence\u2014they are my world, and they shape the colours of\u00a0 my music, both joyful and melancholic. In the end, it becomes very poetic and abstract, but this\u00a0 emotional depth is what moves me the most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I never feel directly affected by the \u00ab outside \u00bb world but it certainly feeds into my subconscious.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Q: Tell us about your creative process\u2014from the moment you explore an idea to it being ready.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\nOften, an idea stays with me for a long time\u2014like a scene from a film. I\u2019m currently working on my\u00a0 next album, which began 3\u20134 years ago. The songs first emerged on the guitar and lived in my head\u00a0 for quite a while. I then began improvising freely, building textural soundscapes and rhythms,\u00a0 which gradually merged with those original guitar ideas. The tracks are typically composed of\u00a0 several layers of improvisation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once I reach the deeper stages of production and arrangement, it becomes a long and meticulous\u00a0 process. That said, I\u2019ve recently welcomed more purely improvisational work\u2014I feel a part of my\u00a0 practice may evolve toward a more spontaneous expression, leaving behind some of the more\u00a0 painstakingly arranged aspects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Q: Do you feel artists have a responsibility to be activists for a better world?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nThis is a complex question, and I don\u2019t believe there\u2019s a simple answer. As I mentioned before, art\u00a0 can be deeply meaningful. I actually believe it might be one of the most profoundly \u201chuman\u201d things\u00a0 we can do.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The world we live in is often dark and unjust, and that inevitably feeds into creative work. Art can\u00a0 be a form of salvation\u2014it can provide escape, raise awareness, and help people feel what others\u00a0 feel. But sometimes, giving to much importance to the political message of a work can reduce its\u00a0 meaning. The personal side is the most interesting part of an art piece, this is the truest and most\u00a0 unique message an artist can share. <\/p>\n
Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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