Sijya, the South Asian composer, producer, and graphic artist, is releasing her EP ‘Leather & Brass’ via her new label One Little Independent Records on September 12th. A bold, visceral dive into raw textures and unfiltered emotion, it marks a pivotal chapter in her sonic evolution.
‘Leather & Brass’ is a testament to pushing boundaries, both musically and personally, and meticulously crafted through a blend of digital synthesis and analogue grit. From distorted synths run through abused guitar pedals to lyrics that linger in ambiguity, ‘Leather & Brass’ is an exploration of weight, density, and contrast, in sound and in sentiment. It was shaped with the guidance of Accidental Records’ Matthew Herbert and Hugh Jones (aka Crewdson).
New single ‘Do I Know’ was a spontaneous innovation. The presence of a “guitar riff” within a synth-driven track is yet another example of Sijya’s subconscious inclination toward the language of electric guitars, despite working primarily with electronic tools. “Funnily enough, people have often referred to parts in my music as guitar sounds and riffs. I guess I’ve always been drawn to electric guitars and I’m maybe always trying to make that sound with my synths.”
Its accompanying video explores “the idea of ineffective armour”. Both in terms of brass as a physical object, ornamental, adaptable, as well as metaphorically; Sijya’s relationship to the illusion of safety, being seen, and performing or creating publicly.
Sukanya Baskar, who conceptualised the film, writes; “Forged and worn over time – a brass armour glistens on a figure standing in the doorway. In the act of donning an armour, the artist considers her own relationship with visibility and invisibility as a performer, but also as an individual in the public eye. The material history of brass as a malleable yet sometimes ineffectual metal for matters of strength and protection, sparked a point of departure for this narrative. Performing an auto fictional, absurd, oneiric piece, the artist navigates a Delhi reframed through its heterotopias, disturbed yet empowered in her presentation of otherness.”
Of the EP, Sijya explains; “Finishing this was a long process. Painful. Not just in the way that it is painful to make anything, because it is. Ideas are exciting, but you get over them very fast. Then you trudge along until there’s another spark. Before this EP, I feel like I was messing about. I didn’t think a career in music was possible. I had been circling around music for a long time and making album art as a graphic designer, but ‘Young Hate’ was my first attempt of ‘doing’ any music at all. Now, with this second EP, I feel like I have become a musician. I am now doing this with intention. This EP feels like beginning of me trying to find a sound.”
The making of ‘Leather & Brass’ was relentless. Each track was pushed to its limits, revisited, abandoned, and then resurrected through cycles of experimentation. Recording engineer Jay Panelia played a crucial role, working alongside Sijya to strip digital synths of their sterility. By running them through compression, slapback delays, and mono reverbs, the sounds took on an analogue warmth – gritty, heavy, physical. The EP’s title reflects this transformation; soft sounds were hardened, refined surfaces were roughed up. Final mixes were taken to Seth Manchester at Machines with Magnets, ensuring that every layer of distortion, every nuance of weight, was not just preserved but elevated. The process was long, but it left a lasting impact, not just on the music but on Sijya’s own sonic sensibilities.
The artwork, a manipulated photograph from Sijya’s childhood, ties into her personal history and paternal influences. A memory reworked, much like the sounds on the record. Accompanying visuals, one ‘Leather’ and one ‘Brass’ dissect the meaning of these elements both materially and existentially. The themes themselves are in conflict and resist interpretation. In a world that demands clarity, Sijya insists that meaning should be felt, not dictated. ‘Leather & Brass’ is not a statement. It is a search. And Sijya’s search continues.
Sijya embodies the wave of fresh ideas and distinctive musicianship emerging from South Asia. With records that showcase a defining commitment to originality without losing upon base instinct, and live shows that create the most immersive atmospheres, the New Delhi artist has emerged as one of the most hotly tipped up-and-coming talents from the region’s alternative music space.
The multi-faceted talent lays down textural abstractions of her inner monologue onto musical and visual canvases alike to deliver the most well-rounded artistic offerings. Dreamy untamed synth layers and raw rhythms come together with emotion-led vocal lines creating a concoction of art pop, downtempo and ambient discoverable through her debut single ‘Have To Make My Bed’ as part of boxout.fm’s compilation ‘SUCHI SELECTS’ and her debut EP ‘Young Hate’.
Released via Accidental Records, an institution known for launching artists with an independent-minded approach, ‘Young Hate’ and its respective music videos showcased Sijya’s creative stamp as an audio and visual artist at its most synchronous and far-ranging. The 6-track EP received support from notable outlets such as BBC 6Music, Crack Magazine, Kaltblut, NOWNESS, Mixmag, DJ Mag, NTS, Rolling Stone India, The Wild City, and Rinse.FM while Sijya has since been championed by the likes of Four Tet, Machinewoman, Openlab, NARR Radio and more. The release was also celebrated through guest remixes with the companion EP ‘Young Love’.
Meanwhile, Sijya has been extending her unique artistry to the live setting, opening for The Cinematic Orchestra on their India tour, performing on stages like Echoes of Earth and India Art Fair, delivering a Boiler Room set, creating a bespoke A/V show at Mumbai’s G5A and touring across the UK to perform at spaces like London’s Tate Modern, Café OTO, Servant Jazz Quarters, Bristol’s Trinity Centre and Dialled-In Festival. The tour also saw her lead workshops for Saffron UK, provide guest mixes for NTS and Noods Radio, and perform at YES Manchester alongside Nabihah Iqbal, for whom Sijya would also release a remix via the prominent label Ninja Tune. All of this within little more than a year of making her live debut with the coveted opening spot at the 2022 edition of India’s premier music festival Magnetic Fields.
Live dates
6th July – Delhi, Digging in India Store (vinyl listening session)
23rd August – Goa, Hideaway
24th August – Delhi, Oddbird Theatre
30th August – Mumbai, Nmacc