You make electronic music in India that can be considered
more conducive to rumination than dance. Do you ever feel that
definition restricts you?
Sahej: No, not at all. In fact, I feel liberated by it - it means the
listener can do what they want while listening to my music, be
it contemplation or dance.
When you say "Dualist Inquiry", is there a philosophical bend to
the name?
Sahej: I discovered the term ‘dualism’ while reading
philosophy texts in a university course. There are many
kinds of dualism but the one that resonated the most with
me was mind-body dualism. Even to this day, I find the word
mentioned in all kinds of texts, from modern medicine to
ancient spiritual and religious texts, and sometimes they refer
to very different aspects of dualism. That’s why I followed
the word with the name Inquiry – because it created more
questions than answers, and fed my curiosity, inspiring me to
make art and music. That quest for answers continues till this
day, I see it as a lifelong journey.
Have you ever released a track that you liked but thought that your
listeners would not?
Sahej: I try not to think too much about what my listeners
would like or dislike while working on new music. It adds
pressure and expectation to a process that’s supposed to
be about self-expression, the most honest depiction of my
emotional and psychological landscape. I’ve found that as
long as I’m placing a genuine part of myself into the music,
it’ll connect with listeners. So, if I find myself thinking too
much about what people will think while I’m in the process of
writing, I’ve learned to bring myself back into the moment.
Since you don't depend on lyrics, do you feel that it is more
challenging to convey whatever it is you are saying with a piece of
music?
Sahej: Not really - making instrumental music has always been
a choice, one that I feel gives me more than enough means
to express what I need to. Lyrics are a beautiful way to say
something, but sometimes I just want to set a mood - create a
mindspace in which to just be. It’s a different thing, it has the
potential to create an evocative soundtrack for your thoughts.
Talk about a misconception that people would have about a
successful Indie musician(you) in India .
Sahej: That we have it easy (hah). Bring an indie musician in
India (even a “successful” one) means we’re always coming up
against challenges and hitting glass ceilings every time we try
to level up (because of how young the “scene” is). The runway
hasn’t been built all the way, and so at every step musicians
like myself have to stop, build and then continue. That’s why I
started my record label, and more recently, boxout.fm with DJ
Mocity - to try to build the infrastructure and support system
we all desperately need to sustain ourselves. It is a privilege to
be in this position, though, and I hope we can make it easier for
subsequent generations of indie artists .
Say a fan came up to you with a demo track they made. What
would be the first thing you would say to them .
Sahej: I would listen to it and give them real feedback - not
just flowery words but hopefully constructive advice on
how it can be made better. The ones who are genuinely
Picture credit: Zacharie Rabehi
14
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Score Magazine
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