MUMBAI:  One of India’s most popular electronic music artists, Anish Sood releases his debut EP Gaya as Anyasa on globally-renowned label Anjunadeep on August 12, marking his transition to a new artist name and signature sound.

‘Rasiya’ is the first single from Anyasa’s debut four-track EP Gaya on the famous Above & Beyond founded-label Anjunadeep, and sets the tone for his new sound which is a unique blend of his trademark electronic production and Indian classical vocals that represent his roots.

Gaya, a derivation from ‘Gaia’ the Greek goddess of Mother Earth, is an ode to feminine energy, the raw creative force from which all artistry is born. This sentiment is personified by the four stand-out singer-songwriters who have contributed to this EP – Isheeta Chakravarty, Bawari Basanti, Avneet Khurmi and Amira Gill. Each of them have collaborated with Anish to create a sound that is melodic, emotive and evocative.

A series of Instagram and Spotify discoveries resulted in this collaborative journey – one layered with unique textures owing to Anish’s unconventional use of classical vocals with contemporary house production.

The EP itself is designed to take the listener on a journey through the night. It starts off with ‘Rasiya’ which is a mellow take on vocal deep house. The vocal is really the star of the track and the production was built around it for support. From there on the EP gets progressively darker and the tracks have been arranged very carefully to create big moments on the dancefloor.

“I think what I’m most proud of with the EP is that even once the energy levels pick up significantly towards the end with ‘Ranjhna’ and ‘Nadiyan’, they don’t lose the emotions from the vocals and that really is the essence of the sound I wanted to make with Anyasa,” explains Anish, who also recently did a guest mix as Anaysa for Group Therapy 443 with Above & Beyond.

First Indian artist signed to Anjunadeep

Having started his music career in 2008 at the age of 18, Anish has played a huge part in shaping the dance music scene in India. At the forefront of the electronic music movement in the country, he’s toured alongside a wide array of acts ranging from Dixon and Black Coffee to David Guetta and Kygo, while performing at global festivals including Tomorrowland Unite and Electric Daisy Carnival as well as co-writing a song with the Black Eyed Peas.

However, this EP marks a special milestone for he is the first Indian artist to be signed to Anjunadeep, the label founded by Above & Beyond and named after the infamous Anjuna Beach in Goa, close to where Anish lives. The Anjunadeep imprint has introduced a distinctive, modern strand of deep house to a new generation of fans.

On being the first artist from India to appear on the label Anish says, “Anjunadeep is a globally revered label and a dream for any electronic musician to work with, and I couldn’t have dreamt of a better home for this EP.”

Gaya released worldwide on August 12.