HIS CONFIDENCE ON and off the console is infectious. Shiladitya Bose, who goes by the moniker of Mr Bose, tells us at the start that ‘DJs are modern-day rock stars.’ We can’t agree more with the 24-year-old EDM producer, who specialises in techno, trap, trance and future house, while carving out an identity for himself, with his distinct style and background in classical music. Here, he talks about not feeling the pressure to stay relevant, incorporating his percussion skills in live sets, and bridging the gap between classical music and EDM. Excerpts:
How is Mr Bose different from other EDM artistes?
I always try to connect with my listeners and incorporate my knowledge of percussions in my live sets. Not many artistes are doing that in the city, and that makes me unique.
How successful have you been in bridging the gap between EDM and classical music?
That effort to bridge the gap between two very different genres is still in progress and is, in fact, going great. I am glad to inform that my EP Full Circle releases this month, where I’ve incorporated many sounds that have intrigued me over the years.
What made you choose the genre of EDM?
I learnt how to play the tabla from my father ever since I was eight years old, and then I moved on to learn the drums from Nandan Bagchi. From there on, I started listening to a lot of electronic drum and bass music and ended up coming across artistes like Netsky, Armin Van Buuren, Skrillex and Deadmau5. And that’s when I decided that this is the sound I want to work with. There is a huge misconception about DJs.
Some people are still living in an era where DJs were just booked for weddings and private parties. Today, we are making it to the billboards and selling out stadiums. We are modern-day rock stars! The other misconception is that the console creates the music, but I want to emphasise that a particular set on the console is the result of hours of hard work.
What is your process of creating music?
I cannot ever plan and make music, thinking all right, today is the day! It has to inspire me to create it. I’d rather have two or three good releases a year, than have a bunch of nonsense going out. I don’t make music to stay relevant in the scene. I make music because I love it.