Danya’s Syntactic Sugar EP finds Allegra Anka learning how to be alone creatively

After years of playing in bands, former Cayetana bassist Allegra Anka has found a new creative outlet for personal expression with their solo project Danya. After releasing an initial pair of singles in 2018, Danya is back with a new EP, Syntactic Sugar.

Tackling a solo project after working with collaborators is a process of challenges and growth — according to the musician, “there is no feeling like the sense of pride that comes with the mind and heart meld of making art with people you love.” The result of Anka’s long journey of learning how to be alone creatively, the EP’s three lo-fi tracks establish their own distinct musical voice that at once lets go of the past and embraces the possibilities of the future.

“While danya is a creative outlet for music,” Anka writes in an Instagram post, “i also envision it as an exploratory space that is affirming of queer and trans identities and promotes visibility and celebration of those identities.” Their initial idea was that Danya could be used to help raise money to fund affirming surgeries for queer and trans folks. In light of the current challenges posed by COVID-19, they have decided to donate 50% of the project’s proceeds to efforts working to reduce the health and economic impacts of the pandemic on queer and trans communities.

Listen to Syntactic Sugar below and purchase the digital album via Bandcamp.