With Oji’s much-anticipated Flux Pavilion tour about to wreck two cities, we thought it wise to plate up all of the participating artists’ profiles. Onlt this time, we adopted a less generic format by trying to uncover dual aspects of these artists that one might not know about. After all, by this point, nearly every kink of their DJ avatars has been uncovered, presented and put on many pedestals so we caught up with all five artists on the lineup and presented them with some ‘slam book’ questions.
Whether it’s a fondness for science fiction or a certain affiliation with Bollywood albums- there are more dimensions to these artists than those three overused letters and we intend to show them to you.
JOSHUA STEELE (FLUX PAVILION)
It’s difficult to find anything about this wunderkind that his fans don’t already know but there’s certainly much more to him than button-pushing and vinyl-scratching. Before he took his chance on the EDM wave, his instrumental expertise was well beyond most of his peers—he can play the guitar, saxophone, drums, ukulele, mandolin, clarinet & trumpet! And while he uses every element of that musicality to compose, he’s a next gen kid and admits to using a mouse to do absolutely all his composing.He’s equally multi-faceted in his aural tastes as well. When he’s not designing the perfect bass cannon, Joshua Steele is a tender soul and has a personal project titled Josh Extravaganza that he believes showcases a more personal side of him. Aside from the sonic lifestyle, Steele is also an avid redditor who has even participated in a few of their AMA sessions as well.
Sonic Bytes:
DJ SA
A self proclaimed tech geek, DJ Sa is an avid gamer, who also loves trying new kinds of food every now and then. His strangest gig experience was when he played music for a crowd in the middle of a heavy rainstorm without headphones or a monitor under a sheet used to cover roofs. As for someone he would aspire to meet someday, it’s Jay Z.
PIYUSH BHATNAGAR (SOUND AVTAR)
A completely laid back guy when it comes to doing chores, Piyush is perpetually cooped up in his studio or bed if he isn’t performing at gigs. Amazed by Indian artists, he is awed by the emerging homegrown talent that has carved its own niche in the electronic dance music arena. Besides music, he enjoys spending time cooking, gaming and travelling. As for someone he would aspire to meet someday, its Sonny John Moore (Skrillex).
UDYAN SAGAR (NUCLEYA)
Also known as “Bhedia”, a nickname used by a lot of his friends, Udyan’s first ambition was to become a pilot. It was only later that he started pursuing a career as a DJ. Back in the day, he would earn a living by ghost producing for a few friends. Besides music, he enjoys designing midi controller, travelling and watching films. He is still amazed by the fact that he made three Bollywood remix albums, after which he was still not offered any work. As for someone he aspires to meet someday, he says he is content with who he is working right now and is hopeful he will meet his inspirations in the near future.
SUHRID MANCHANDA (SUREAL/THE GRIND)
The music bug caught Suhrid at the age of 4, which was when he started learning the classic piano. However, it was only for a while until he was distracted by other kinds of music and art. Fascinated by the world of science, he enjoys reading fiction (including science fiction) and is a big fan of adult cartoons. His strangest experience was when he had gone mushroom picking in Kodaikannal and ended up fleeing from (what he believed were) alien spaceships. He enjoys introspecting about the concept of infinity and zero and the myriad relationships between the two. As for someone he aspires to meet in the future, he is still waiting to find his true doppleganger.
Words: Shreya Vaidya