As Sandunes, Indian producer Sanaya Ardeshir has spent the last decade exploring the melodic side of electronic music with three ebullient albums that drew on the bright instrumentation and pop references of contemporaries such as Bonobo. Now releasing her first record under her own name, Ardeshir explores entirely new territory, namely expansive piano compositions that supplant dancefloor rhythms with slowly unfurling minimalist repetition.

Drawing on her training as a pianist, Ardeshir displays a confident command of the keys, building an insistent right-hand motif on the opening track that creates a foundation for saxophonist Rhys Sebastian’s drawn-out notes. This unwavering piano phrasing allows her collaborators to layer evocative instrumental swells, producing bursts of woodwind fanfare on the plaintive Between Dreams and swirls of trilling synth strings on the choppy Barefoot Steps. Percussionist Sarathy Korwar delivers a standout feature on Deccan Queen, giving structure to Ardeshir’s frenetic arpeggios with his steadily intensifying tabla rhythms.

While solo numbers such as Nora’s House can stray into the cinematic with wistful melodies bordering on neo-classical pastiche, Ardeshir manages to largely avoid mood music thanks to the subtle addition of electronics. On Spiral, soaring synth interjections jolt listeners from the otherwise pleasantly undulating piano and flute composition while the aortic pulse of a kick drum transforms the final section of the title track from piano minimalism into a dub-house odyssey.

Shifting from electronic production into piano composition is a well-trodden path – Kelly Moran and Djrum both released standout albums in a similar vein over the past two years – but Ardeshir’s exploration is quietly compelling, showcasing her capacity as an instrumentalist and producer to create soundworlds of unexpected depth.

Also out this month

Egyptian singer Maryam Saleh’s latest album Syrr (Simsara) layers traditional Arabic song cycles with electronic textures to create a beguiling, modernist blend. Tracks such as Wanas anchor Saleh’s soaring voice in a menacing synth line, while eerie reverb haunts El Fetra, updating an ancient vocal practice. South African singer Dumama releases her solo debut Towards an Expanse (Soundway), channelling a raw, punk-influenced vocal performance into arresting moments such as the distortion-heavy protest song Eating the Other and the bass-heavy No Abiding City. Soweto’s irrepressibly high-energy group BCUC maintain a typical intensity on The Road Is Never Easy (Outhere), layering clattering percussion and group vocals to palpitating effect, reaching an apex on the galloping Afropsychedelic.