Nadja

A Canadian experimental drone duo operating from their base in Berlin, Germany and weaving elements of shoegaze and doom metal into towering, monolithic soundscapes, Nadja originated in Toronto as the solo endeavor of musician and author Aidan Baker. Drawing from an expansive range of inspirations such as Godflesh, Arvo Pärt, My Bloody Valentine, the Cure, Swans, and Caspar Brotzmann, the project surfaced during the first years of the 2000s and sustained its boundary-pushing explorations across subsequent decades through releases including Under the Jaguar Sun (2009) and Sonnborner (2018).

Launched in 2002, the effort expanded considerably in 2005 upon the addition of vocalist, violinist, and bass player Leah Buckareff, whose presence allowed Nadja to perform beyond studio confines. Starting with that year’s Truth Becomes Death, the pair refined their ambient doom/metal/electronic approach into expansive forms, prompting Baker to introduce the descriptor “dreamsludge” for their imposing sonic output. Much of the duo’s initial catalog appeared on various imprints such as Alien8 Recordings, Hydra Head, Important Records, and Essence Music prior to the establishment of their own Broken Spine Productions for subsequent material.

An extensive array of EPs, joint ventures, and albums followed, among the notable entries being 2007’s Radiance of Shadows, 2009’s Under the Jaguar Sun, 2012’s Dagdrom, and 2018’s Sonnborner—the latter marking the group’s twentieth long-player and incorporating guest string contributions from Julia Kent, Agathe Max, and Simon Goff.