Anyasa speaks about his first EP - 'Gaya' under his new artistic identity', his association with Anjunadeep Records & his own Anjuna connection, his thoughts on house music, & much more...

The Goa bred artist has found an authentic sound that, true to his name, channels feminine energy in a grounded, effortless and nurturing way. The simplicity factor that is at the core of his creative process has really worked in favour of the music, letting the vocals shine all through the record.

One Sunday evening, a couple of days after Diwali, I was walking through the Sanjay Gandhi National park in Mumbai - my little escape from the big city. It was close to sunset and nature’s orchestra was just warming up to take over the sonic scape of the night. On this day, I had been in a rather brooding mood, which is particularly rare in my case…one of the few times when life had got the better of me. I was subconsciously searching for a sign that life is beautiful - as if I really needed one - a silver lining.

Then as if out of a movie scene, a kid on a bicycle with her phone in her back pocket drove past me, and from her phone speaker, ‘Pran’ by Ritviz was playing at a rather modest volume. She had an innocent and joyful abandon about her as she clumsily rode her bicycle while bobbing her head to the beat. At that moment, it appeared to me like she, I, the park, and indeed all of Mumbai was dancing to the same tune. We were one with the music and in harmony with nature.

About fifteen mins later, I saw a bunch of kids sitting in a circle on the rocks, enjoying the sunset with just one phone speaker and another Ritviz track that very evidently was leading them into an almost inebriated state of bliss. But this wasn't the effect of Old Monk or Kingfisher...it was just the music. Because it understands you. And when you understand that, then life is never the same.

So who is Ritviz, the man behind the music? A young man just hopelessly in love with life..? Read on and find out!

“Nothing is too precious, yet everything is precious.”

‘Manam’ is a musical opus by the mother & son duo of Asha & Rohith Jayaraman in which they explore the topographies of their own hearts to recognize and express their innermost reflections on some fundamental issues of society pertaining to colour, caste, religion and public opinion.

Strongly guided by their Carnatic roots, they venture boldly into the stylistic realms of spoken word, jazz, rock and more in between. What stands out most about the album, above even the majestic musical virtuosity and honesty of the message, is that it evokes a clear and positively hopeful image of what we can make of ourselves and hence the world around us, if we invoke our inner strength and humanity and focus on the process of growing, adapting and marching forward in life. Thus, it serves as a perfect reminder to us all to retain and nurture our human-ness in a fast-expanding and ever-evolving world, and furthermore, to be at the forefront of this evolution.

Bric á Brac’s music puts together sonic snippets and significant moments from his life in a highly intriguing way. Just like its namesake, seemingly random elements are ornamentally intertwined to reveal the bigger picture like a jigsaw puzzle, or a bouquet of assorted & personal sentiments.

His debut record ‘Specimen 001’ owes much of its existence to many cherished moments, significant places, special people, and an eloquent poetic nostalgia that binds it all together beautifully with the mucilage of the artist’s own unique expression. Immaculately integrating his own individuality into a larger collective coherence, Bric á Brac has unmistakably put a part of his soul into the record, which makes it resonate with a profound and sincere sheen.

Spatialize’s sublime musical expression is a result of early exposure to his grandmother’s piano, discovering the digital keyboard & the power of sampling, being a bassist in bands, and last but not least “being left to his own devices” (literally). All of these constituted vital parts of his journey and germinated into a vast body of work that displays his signature open, organic, psychedelic sound.

The two albums featured here are ‘Squaring the Circle’ which consolidates some of his earlier works and ‘Searching for the Source’ - a nod to the eternal search for meaning that mankind has embarked upon. The UK-based artist also shares several gold nuggets of wisdom from his three-decade-long experience as a musician, and gently confirms the fact electronic music can really flow from the heart.

Kojo’s triple album ‘Yes I Can’ is a chronicling of the Israeli artist’s personal and professional developmental journey over the past several years. He dives deep into the abyss to return with a multifaceted triple threat of a record that is a healthy convolution between the sounds of psytrance, downtempo and last but certainly not least, the artists own interpretation of what these words stand for.

Being an active propagator of authentic electronic music through his brainchild ‘Fusion Culture’, just like the rest of his peers, Kojo is all set to catapult electronic music culture to new heights with this gritty, honest, unabashedly bold and cutting edge offering ‘Yes I Can’.

The Israeli music scene seems to be the gift that keeps on giving to the rest of the world. Absalon is a prime example of such an artist who bends the conventional norms of electronic music, gently sailing into new sonic shores.

His latest EP ‘The Mind’ released on The Rust Music Label is an absolutely meditative yet intense trip that does full justice to the complex human construct that the record is named after. The producer brandishes floating melodies over crystalline soundscapes that unfurl in irrefutable organic detail. For those of us who dig well-engineered, emotive and experimental music, this EP will effortlessly lift your spirits off the ground and keep you there for a while too.

Breger is a well-known force in the electronic music scene in India. The Goa-based German artist has been propagating his unique brand of techno/house/psychedelic music across seas for over 15 years, and it’s not possible to spend even a week in Goa without landing up at one of his parties. His subliminal style varies from minimal to savage techno, and reflects his dark and groovy approach with a psychedelic twist. He has always pushed the boundaries of dance music, bending genres seamlessly to create his unique sound.

In this ‘Innerview’, Breger talks about his musical background and influences, how he conceived his signature sound, and also some fun facts and interesting tidbits about his last 3 EPs which includes ‘For The Culture’ - an EP that he made in his jungle studio in Goa during the first lockdown, and is evidently in support of the underground music culture that he has been such a vital part of. His vast body of work and contribution to the underground electronic music scene speaks for itself, and I’m stoked to see what he has in store for us in the future!