Pie Are Squared's New EP 'Adriatica' Captures the Essence of Italy's Coastal Freeway

Italy-based Egyptian artist Pie Are Squared AKA Mohammed Ashraf draws his inspiration from drone, black metal, electronica, progressive and alternative rock music. He is part in numerous projects like Sruti and Postvorta.

Pie Are Squared just released a new ambient EP Adriatica on Handstitched Recordings. The four ambient pieces are the kind of soundscape that could easily soundtrack an unexpected adventure, a meandering stroll turned exploration. This makes sense, given the context of the album and its source.

Adriatica is Pie Are Squared’s "approximation of a love letter to his adopted hometown of Ravenna," and the area surrounding it. The EP was named after the Strada Statale Adriatica (SS16 Adriatica), a road that is part of Ravenna citizens' everyday life. The EP relies heavily on field recordings taken from towns and other spaces along the road, representing the sonic environment of the area's residents. This is blended with modular synthesis from the 0-Coast modular synthesizer. Thus far in Pie Are Squared's career, Adriatica employs the most field recordings yet, and veers heavily towards minimalism. It is beautiful, the sound of the SS16 Adriatica.