Raqia

RAQIA is an instrumental trio formed in Los Angeles in
the summer of 2018. Consisting of guitarist Tad Piecka
(Beware of Safety, Petrychor, Wizzrobe), violinist
Gregory Allison (Eliza Rickman, Three for Silver) and
keyboardist Jon Bernstein (Disparition, Welcome to
Night Vale), this ensemble draws influences from a
wide array of genres including ambient, folk, world
fusion, and jazz.
In an age of rising chaos and encroaching darkness,
RAQIA seeks to create sanctuary and connection with
the natural world through music. Weaving between structured compositions and open improvisation,
this is music of and for the elements. Guitarist Tad Piecka, coming from a background of post-rock and
black metal, here infuses his lightning fast finger-picking skills with a strain of folk and Americana,
enhanced by his focus on the 12-string acoustic. Violinist Gregory Allison combines his experiences with
folk and chamber pop with his training and background in Carnatic music, bringing a fluid and emotional
fire to the group’s sound. Jon Bernstein, primarily known for ambient and cinematic soundscapes and
sound design in the audio drama space, here focuses almost entirely on piano, drawing from styles that
range from neoclassical to pop music. As a group, these three merge organically to create a new sound
that acknowledges their diverse influences while establishing a space that is very much their own.
RAQIA’s eponymous first album, released in December
of 2018, showcases the trio’s range, from the ambient
soundscapes Kinship and Subspace that open and close
the album to the folk-infused complexity of You Are A
Sky of Autumn, Pale, and Rose .