When you hear of an artiste called Darzi, it invites intrigue. It’s not a name you forget easily, and for Yash Saxena, it captures exactly how he works — slowly shaping, cutting, adjusting and stitching sounds together until a song feels right. “I make music on a computer, and it’s a very non-linear process; there’s a lot of editing, a lot of shaping. It is actually very similar to tailoring,” he says.
Yash is now gearing up for his Hyderabad show, something he calls “long due.” He and his team have been performing across different cities, and he feels this stop was bound to happen. “All the fan favourites will be there, and a couple of unreleased tracks too,” he shares.
Speaking of his sound, it sits in a space that feels familiar yet new—nostalgic disco and old Bollywood textures mixed with electronic production. But none of this came from a grand plan. “It wasn’t a conscious decision,” he says. “I love disco. I love old Bollywood disco. And I also love psychedelic sound design. So all of that naturally comes together.” Over the years, Yash has learned how to blend these different sounds in a way that feels natural to him. “The first time I tried it, yes, it was tough, but now I keep finding new ways to explore the same idea,” he adds.
One thing that has stayed constant is his focus on meaning. His project Awaaz is a strong example of that — about the 2019 rape case in Hyderabad involving a 26-year-old veterinary doctor. “I remember feeling really disturbed, and then I realised this isn’t the only time something like this has happened” which in turn pushed him to look closer at everyday gender biases and inequalities. What began as a single track grew into an album that explored different experiences and struggles women face.
Yash’s other big influence is dance music. His EP Kisko Disco draws from house, deep house, afro-house, and ’70s disco icons. “When we talk about 70s and 80s, Indian disco music was very melodic. Bappi Lahiri’s take on disco beautifully simplified grooves, and Bollywood songs are deeply engaged in melody. So, the juxtaposition of hauntingly beautiful melodies sung in Asha Bhosle’s and Lata Mangeshkar’s voices, superimposed over these crazy electronic beats and drums and guitar, has always caught my attention ,” he elaborates. Yash also confesses that he loves slightly imperfect sounds. “I’m huge on dirtying up the sound. Those low-fidelity, saturated textures — I always try to bring them in,” he admits.
Yash is currently finishing a new album that he describes as his most extreme and personal work so far. “I feel like all my past projects have been very balanced in the way they sound; they’ve been very easy to digest. But this one is a little more extreme. The length of the album is also extremely long. Unlike my previous works, I talk about myself in this one,” he concludes.
Tickets start at Rs 399.
November 23, 7.30 onwards.
At EXT, Film Nagar.
Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com
X: @indulgexpress
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.