HARJI is an artist blending innumerable styles and influences in his music, born in New Delhi, India, and now living in Brooklyn, New York. From larger parties in Beirut, to the strobe-filled club scene at legacy venues such as Pacha NYC & Cielo, all the way to underground Brooklyn warehouse raves, his live performances are refreshing, groove-led and exploratory.
Determined and full of creative drive, HARJI thrives on producing and playing a range of styles, from house and tribal to techno and electronica. His sets are always full of edits and unreleased music of his own, and he has kept those dancefloor secrets a secret, until now. For his latest release, he has teamed up with Manu Dibango and Nhii for a melodic and deeply atmospheric house cut, Bessoka.
Hi, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today! How has the year been treating you so far?
Not too bad! A lot is has happened for me this year from a music standpoint.
Where do you think the impulse to create music comes from for you?
Oh man, well, I think I always had the itch. It’s funny; my mom claims that the reason I’m so much into music is because she would sit in a room and listen to classical music all day when she was pregnant with me. Since I could remember, making and playing music was always something I loved doing.
How do you think your Indian upbringing affects your approach to creating music?
Indian musical ethos tends to place great emphasis on improvisation and emotion (rasa), which could manifest in a more intuitive and flexible approach to creating music. It’s not just about composition but also the performer’s ability to interpret and imbue the music with their own emotions. Naturally, growing up, my parents would always play Indian music. I was surrounded by it., Indian music often involves complex rhythm structures (Tala system) and the concept of microtonality (Raga system). I try adding some touch of these structures in my own music and lean towards experimenting with intricate rhythm patterns, melodic structures, and scales that might not be common in Western music.
Can you remember the state of mind you were in when you sat down to create Bessoka?
Haha it sort of just fell into place naturally. Nhii and I wanted to take the essence of Manu Dibango’s original composition and carefully infused it with our signature deep house and organic house sounds. Unfortunately, Manu Dibango is no longer with us, so wanted to preserve music’s soul while adding our artistic touch, creating a connection between the past and the present, paying homage to the spirit of the original while adding our own distinct flavor. Together, we created a remix that seamlessly blends nostalgic elements with contemporary production techniques. The result is a fresh, vibrant, and infectious track destined to become a summer hit within the deep house, afro, and organic house scenes.
For us it’s 100% a summer record – in what settings do you feel like Bessoka best fits?
Yes, I agree as well! When we were creating this record, we imagined it being played at a beach club like Scorpios in Mykonos or something like Blue Marlin Ibiza. The song has a great summer vibe to it. Its fresh, sexy, and funky.
Tell us about your current studio set up – any particular bits of go-to kit you find yourself returning to?
I firmly subscribe to the “less is more” principle when it comes to my musical workspace. At present, my setup orbits around the Push 3, with Ableton serving as my primary digital audio workstation. Among my cherished hardware, a compact synthesizer named Dreadbox Nymphes holds a special place! Although my current hardware collection isn’t extensive, I am incrementally investing in additional equipment and undertaking the assembly of a modular rack, an initiative that is set to be quite engaging.
Excitingly, this journey is taking a more collaborative turn as I will soon be sharing a music studio with Nhii. This co-creative endeavor will not only allow us to shape our shared musical space together but will also facilitate the gradual enhancement of our studio with more gear. This partnership underscores our mutual passion for music and heralds an exciting expansion of our creative environment.
Which artists are currently exciting or inspiring you?
I have a deep appreciation for David August’s music. He’s on the verge of releasing a new album, and I’m quite eager to discover what he’s been working on. Viken Arman is another artist I’m excited about – his exceptional talent is something I look forward to seeing unfold in his upcoming album. Additionally, I find Kunal Merchant and Kahani’s sound fresh and new. Their work, in my opinion, seems to be paving the way for a new genre stemming from the Indian sound. Coincidentally, I’m collaborating with both of them on new records this year, which is a prospect I find incredibly intriguing!
What should we expect from you for the rest of 2023?
I’m not going to be touring really until next year. So this year is all about producing more and more music!