About Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn
Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn is a studio album by Indian sitarist Anoushka Shankar. The album was released on April 5, 2024. It comprises six tracks and blends Indian classical music with contemporary electronic and ambient influences.
Anoushka Shankar composed and performed all tracks on the album. The tracklist includes Pacifica, Offering, What Dreams Are Made Of, In the End, Below the Surface, and New Dawn. The album continues Shankar’s exploration of thematic and sonic contrasts, as suggested by its title.
The production incorporates traditional sitar alongside synthesizers, percussion, and atmospheric soundscapes. Pacifica opens the album with a meditative sitar melody layered over electronic textures. Offering features a slower tempo and incorporates vocal elements. What Dreams Are Made Of introduces rhythmic complexity with tabla and electronic beats. In the End shifts to a more introspective mood, emphasizing melodic development. Below the Surface employs minimalist instrumentation, while New Dawn closes the album with a gradual build in intensity.
The label for the release has not been publicly specified. The album follows Shankar’s previous work, Chapter I: How Dark It Is Before Dawn, though no direct connection between the two projects has been confirmed. The recording and mixing process took place in London and Los Angeles.