Transcendent Territory: Beneath The Divine House And Techno Of Aman Anand
A deft selector and brilliant producer, Aman Anand shows a momentum that keeps on going (Credit: Courtesy of Aman Anand)
To dance with abandon is a spiritual experience, often a subconscious one. Sometimes, you just need a catalyst that catapults you into that blissful stupor, and keeps you locked in a pulse that reels you in deeper and deeper. Like a hypnotist with a swinging watch, Aman Anand is a master of manipulation with the sonic sceneries he creates, clearing your mind and adding stimulants via the sounds and textures within. The only difference is – you don’t want to be snapped out of it.
As an electronic producer, the Bangalore-born Singapore native weaves topographies that entrance with every listen. Synths chime and soar like a coruscating nebula, warm basslines chug on with the drive of a locomotive, and plush beats generate currents of ecstatic energy that tingle and arouse. Aman’s grasp of melodic techno and progressive house enables him to sculpt rave hymns of shamanic potential, an equilibrium of cradled serenity and eruptions of danceability. To have your emotions lifted and your body in a state of restlessness are simply consequences of digesting an Aman Anand production, with side effects that’ve been felt throughout the local scene and beyond.
Aman Anand has been performing in the circuit for years now (Credit: Aman Anand Instagram page)
On home soil, Aman has been a familiar face within the DJ circuit, manning the decks at venues like Tempura Oji, Headquarters and Tuff Club in particular, where he held a formidable residency before nightspots were affected by COVID-19. It’s during these performances where Aman would even test out his own tracks, adding an edge of originality to his already-riveting sets, frequently getting positive returns from the punters who’ve grown to admire his mixing portfolio.
And abroad, Aman’s releases have been picked up by an impressive lot of global labels – including Soundteller Records (Poland), One Of A Kind (Sweden), and Mango Alley (Japan) – fortifying his status as a world-class musician doing astonishing things on this side of the world. Aman’s momentum has been commendable, steadily putting out an undulating stream of originals and remixes with no end in sight, setting the bar high while cultivating the bedrock of house and techno music made in Singapore.
With his signature spiritual sound, profuse discography and achievements that continue to stack up like an endless ladder, Aman Anand is a luminary that helps give the local dance scene its glow. In this interview, I chat with the accomplished musician about his paths in production, the embers of dedication, and his thoughts about being part of the Singaporean electronic community.
The lockdown hasn’t halted Aman’s progress one bit (Credit: Aman Anand Facebook page)
Hey Aman, hope all has been well! First up, as a DJ, how have you been coping with these restricted circumstances?
Hello! Thank you for having me. It’s definitely been a challenging time as a DJ, but it’s been fruitful in the sense that I’ve had more time to focus on music after completing my course in Broadcast Media Production. I have also had more time to self-reflect but that is an ongoing process!
DJ-ing aside, it’s clear that you haven’t slowed down in your production workflow. It truly seems like you have a superb work ethic, pumping out one release after another like a machine. How do you maintain this determination?
I’m really happy to be working on remixes, originals as well as a few collaborations during this time. Also, I see some producers pushing boundaries and putting out quality releases back to back, which keeps me inspired and pushes me to work on more.
Your sound revolves around the progressive, melodic side of house and techno. What originally drew you to this audial aesthetic?
My earliest introduction to these sounds happened when I moved to Singapore in 2010. A good friend who is also a DJ-producer by the name of Sanzy introduced me to artistes like Guy J, Cid Inc, Praveen Achary, Tanseer, Sonic Union and Deepfunk to name a few. I was immediately drawn to this style of music and started digging deeper and exploring on my own.
Do you have a personal philosophy when you produce?
A few things that inspire me are conversations with people, learning about wildlife, watching interesting and educational content on YouTube and listening to other artistes. My only philosophy is to learn something new every day and try to incorporate that into the music I produce.
“I see some producers pushing boundaries and putting out quality releases back to back, which keeps me inspired and pushes me to work on more.” (Credit: Manifest)
Can you tell us about your studio/plug-in setup? And do you find yourself trying and learning new tricks with each new track?
I use Ableton Live as my DAW with a Novation Launchkey 25 Midi Keyboard. Some of my favourite plug-ins are u-He Diva, Sonic Charge Echobode, Valhalla Room and G Force Oddity 2. I definitely like to experiment with new techniques as and when I learn of the, whether it’s on remixes or original productions.
Approaching remixes are never the same for different producers. Do you have certain rules you stick to when tasked with a rework?
I don't really have rules when working on remixes, but sometimes, the remix parts are so good that the workflow is far more fluid. Whereas other times, I find myself going through many renditions of the remix till I'm satisfied with the result. Having said that, as of late, I'm trying to stay true to the original and not get too carried away!
“My introduction to electronic music was in 2008 during high school and I pretty much got hooked on it.” (Credit: .KORSAIR)
Some might say that putting your tracks out to labels is like fishing; you never know what’s gonna bite. For someone who’s gained so much recognition and acceptance from labels all around the world, has this process gotten easier for you?
I'm privileged to have music released on record labels that have a professional work ethic and also help in the artiste's growth. Having said that, sending music to record labels is about respecting their time and being patient. To be honest, I have struggled with this on a few occasions but I'm learning along the way. From my experience, all label owners have been really kind, responded professionally and some have even mentored me to work harder.
Were you always well-versed in electronic music and the DJ scene when living in Bangalore?
My introduction to electronic music was in 2008 during high school and I pretty much got hooked on it. I remember spending hours just collecting music and burning CDs to play for my friends. When I got hold of Virtual DJ, I was putting up mixes on SoundCloud and narcissistically playing them whenever I got the chance. I played a few opening sets in India, but moved to Singapore pretty soon after that.
Aman’s now feeling right at home in the scene since his move from Bangalore (Credit: Aman Anand Facebook page)
And upon moving to Singapore, how was the change of scenery for you?
It took me a while to get used to living in Singapore. But as soon as I made some friends who were into electronic music, I remember having great times at clubs like Zouk and Kyo. It was amazing to see so many of my favourite international artistes playing music on a weekly basis along with very talented local acts like Aldrin, Xhin, Brendon P, EJ Missy, Zig Zach and Sivanesh to name a few. Everything was a new experience for me so the excitement was at an all-time high.
Since then, the scene’s welcomed you with open arms and you’re now a fixture in the DJ circuit (pre-COVID, that is). How does it feel to be part of this community?
It feels awesome! The community is full of diverse talent and there are quite a number of collectives pushing sounds they believe in passionately. I’ve got the privilege to play for some great parties thrown by Audio Translate, The Council, KRATE., Manifest and Blackout!
“Everything was a new experience for me so the excitement was at an all-time high.” (Credit: Canvas)
How much planning goes into your DJ sets? One standout quality about your sets is how you incorporate your own originals into the flow of the night.
To be honest, it’s only recently that I felt confident enough to include my productions in my DJ sets. There is a general amount of preparation that goes into every set but I don’t completely depend on it, as sometimes the vibe of the night can end up being totally different.
Can you tell us a bit more about your Lost Train podcasts? What determines the curation of each episode?
Lost Train is a passion project where I get to showcase music from incredibly talented artistes all over the world. It's my way of showing support and sharing tracks I truly enjoy listening to and hope my listeners do too! I plan on expanding the show to two hours in the near future as well.
And lastly, can you share any upcoming plans you might have in the coming months?
I have a couple of remixes coming out which I'm very excited to share with you all. I'm also working on original productions and a few collaborations. With no gigs in the foreseeable future, I am planning on exploring Singapore as much as I can and be a tourist all over again.
(Credit: Courtesy of Aman Anand)
You can listen to the repertoire of Aman Anand on Spotify and SoundCloud. Follow his Facebook and Instagram pages to stay updated with his activities.
