With 40 singles in, Zephyrtone proves EDM can be personal with Maahi

There was a time when electronic music dominated Indian playlists — when festival drops felt cinematic and global DJs like David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Avicii and Zedd were household names. That era may have softened, but the pulse hasn’t vanished. It lingers, waiting for artistes who believe that emotion can still hit at full volume.

With Maahi, Zephyrtone blur the line between crying and moving on

Maahi arrives from that space — a song that begins in melancholy and ends in motion. It’s sad, but it doesn’t sit still. Instead, it builds, breaks and lifts, turning vulnerability into velocity. The track also marks a moment of significance: single number 40, released not with fanfare but with intent.

Behind this banger is Zephyrtone, the Pune-Kolkata based duo of Zephyr Ruth and Sayan Dhar, who have spent nearly a decade carving out space for electronic dance music in the country.

About their latest single Maahi, Sayan, who handles production, composition, mixing and mastering, shares, “It’s totally an EDM track. Around 2014 to 2016, EDM was at its peak but now it’s fading a little. So, it’s our duty to keep it alive.”

The song itself has lived more than one life. “We wrote Maahi two years ago. Back then, it was a lo-fi, chill version, but the instrumental wasn’t our thing. So we gave it time and reworked it into an electronic dance version this year,” Sayan explains. The result is a track that carries sadness without sacrificing scale.

For Zephyr, who writes the lyrics and performs the vocals, the song was also a personal shift. “I don’t usually write sad songs,” she admits. “I’m more of a very happy, good-vibe person. I like music people can dance and jump to.”

The push came from listeners themselves. “Some of our followers wanted a sad song, something they could cry to. So, I thought, let’s try something new.”

That instinct-first approach defines their creative process. “Most of the time, the music production comes first,” says Sayan. “I start the track and then Zephyr writes the lyrics. In this case, the lyrics were already there, we just had to find the right sound.” Zephyr’s writing, meanwhile, is intentionally open. “I don’t write thinking it’s personal. I write in a way people can relate to. It is more of whatever comes naturally,” she explains. Their partnership began long before chart positions and festival stages. The two met at a music camp in Mumbai in 2013 and bonded over shared tastes despite contrasting training. Zephyr grew up on rock and global pop influences, while Sayan is Hindustani classical trained.

Live audiences remain their biggest catalyst. “The unmatched energy of the crowd pushes us,” Zephyr says. “We come back home wanting to make a banger.” Still, the independent grind demands patience. “Good things take time,” Sayan adds. “There are ups and downs — nothing is steady.”

Knowing when a song is ready comes down to feeling it. “If we vibe to it together, it’s good to go,” Sayan says. With Maahi, this instinct lands clearly — a sad song that still hits and a reminder that EDM, when treated with care, doesn’t have to fade quietly.

If you are a fan, keep an eye (and an ear) out for their forthcoming track Pehli Baar, set to arrive in February.

Maahi is now streaming on all platforms.

Email: isha.p@newindianexpress.com

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