S
ahej Bakshi loves his cats, especially their
morning snuggles. He also loves Westworld,
and as the interview below will reveal,
spends inordinate amounts of time soaking in
self-question. His music is a direct expression of
singular comprehension; he is aware that there
is always more. Consequently, he reaches deeper
within himself, and wider into the world, sourcing
beauty, wonder and disturbance in soundscapes
seared with conviction.
Bakshi treats music as a medium for inner
conversation. Consequently, listeners participate
in the man’s curiosity-driven gambols across soul,
mind, reality and personal evolution. It is entirely
possible to giggle in the middle of a Dualist Inquiry
song; if you think that it threw a sudden message of
utter relevance your way, you are probably right.
Pursuing a path of uncompromising self-revelation
has had interesting results. For one thing, his
brand of sound sculpting has began to accrue
the characteristics of a genre unto itself, at least
in India. Being a fixture in the festival circuit
does not come without being able to offer the
fans an experience that is immune to replication.
Bakshi’s brand comprises music that aligns with
every human sentiment. Play one of his tracks at
breakfast, and you will find they go well with the
pancakes. Surprisingly, the wines at your evening
soiree would agree just as much.
With Score, Dualist Inquiry does something that
he has become rather good at: find answers. He
talks about where his art emerges from, what he
sees himself doing for life, and why he is fascinated
with existential dualism. We did forget to ask him
what goes into his morning chai, but we think
you’ll let it go.
How would you describe your music to someone who
has never come across electronic music?
Sahej: I would describe it just as “music”, where
the genre doesn’t matter. It’s music to listen to in
the morning as you go about your routine, to drive
to, to play while your friends are over. It’s not
meant for any particular purpose or context. It’s
“listening music”.
In 2013, you were called a "word nerd". Does that
particular obsession still persist?
Sahej: Yes, my song titles are still very important
to me, especially if it’s an instrumental tune. It’s
the one chance I have, to lend context and provide
some information as to what the song is about.
But I’m not as fixed on single words anymore, I
think I’ve grown to accept phrases (three words
maximum) as well. However, there’s nothing like
finding a single word that encapsulates everything
a song is meant to be about.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
13