In Session: SICARIA

Can you tell us a bit about your label Cutcross Recordings, how has that been going?

It’s looking like the final release is coming out in June, we’ve been gearing towards that. This In Session mix is partly based on Cutcross. Sancha and I have decided we’re not going to run it anymore because it’s been so difficult – we established the label during the pandemic so we don’t know what it’s like to run a record label during normal times. There were a lot of setbacks and we learnt a lot, but we managed to support a whole new roster of artists which has been great. I’m establishing a new imprint in September which is going off the same ideas as Cutcross, but it will focus more on what I’m trying to do with SICARIA.

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Where are you drawing inspiration from at the moment? Who’s inspiring you?

The early decade of dubstep and 140 is inspiring me at the moment and the grime movement I grew up with. I used to work at Radar Radio back in 2015 to 2018, and maybe it draws on that nostalgic era of music for me, but I was surrounded by a lot of grime music at the time.

Can we expect some solo productions this year?

Yes! My first EP is coming in September. I can’t say too much at this point, but it’s one of the biggest things I’m excited about this year.

You were born in London but you’re of Moroccan descent – do you often go back to Morocco? If so, does that environment inspire you?

I try to go back to Morocco every year – if I don’t, my family will kill me! When I was younger I kind of fell out of love with it but now that I go back, I see the beauty in it all again and appreciate my culture. It does have a knock-on effect on my music, Moroccan music was what I grew up with and it soundtracked my existence. The older I get, the more beauty I see rhythmically in the music itself and how different it is from Western music. It’s been inspiring a lot of my productions, especially when it comes to drums and percussion patterns and melody lines and vocal chops. You’ll definitely see a lot more Moroccan inspiration in my productions going forward.

You’re getting booked up for a lot of festivals this summer – what are you excited about?

Glastonbury! I have three different sets there so it’s a chance to showcase all the different personalities and sides of SICARIA. I’m going back to North America and doing a lot of festivals there. They pay so much attention to production value and the festivals themselves over there, it feels like a mad out-of-world experience compared to UK festivals. I’m also playing Dekmantel for the first time!

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What’s next for you?

The EP coming in September fingers crossed, and I’m also doing Australia and New Zealand for the first time. I’ve never been to that side of the world!

Can you tell us about your In Session mix?

I decided to dedicate this mix to ventures old and new: I’ve basically split it into two parts. The first half of the mix is a spotlight on all the artists affiliated with Cutcross whereas the second half of the mix teases some of the sounds and energy that you can expect via my new imprint, Club Confi:DANCE. As a whole, the mix proves how diverse 140 can be and how different sounds can be woven in with dubstep to create an interesting and unexpected journey for the listener. And then right at the end, I thought it would be fitting to throw in one of my favourite ‘boss bitch’ tracks from Remy Ma!

Tracklist:

DRTY HBTZ ‘Recluse’ (Woven Thorns Remix)
LCY ‘Sora’
Conzi ‘Brokerage’
Mia Koden ‘Hot Take’
Jamiu ‘Lords’
Zygos ‘Swirlin”
Saule ‘Talkin Down’
3WA ‘Balinha’
Nonames ‘Dads & Mums’ ft. Roachee & Killa P (Soukah Remix)
Ebb & Headland ‘Less Talky’
Cause & Nova ‘Memory Lane’
Hi5ghost ‘JellyFish’
Taiko ‘Rise Above’
Texture x Neesnu ‘Full Circle’
Ehua ‘Venom’
Aloha ‘Morose x Rudy Dialogue Snippet’ [SICARIA’s Confi:DANCE Introduction & Interlude]
Barrett x Soukah ‘Untitled’
Cimm ‘Chamber’ (ft. Jammz)
BLOCKLAB ‘Dreams’
Distinct Motive ‘ID’
Numa Crew ‘Masai Duty’
Modelle ‘Dum Dumb’
Merricat Black ‘BRA ZA ZILLLL’
Radical DJ ‘Balaclava’
Drone x Snowy ‘All I Know’ (JC Flip)
CONTRA ‘Two Clips’
Low Deep ‘Down Like’ (VIANA Bootleg)
DMVU ‘Let Em Talk’ (Wiley Vox)
Burna ‘Speedy Skank’
JIALING ‘RahJahLing’
Remy Ma ‘Conceited’