#HGStreams: Dualist Inquiry’s New Single ‘Closer’ Is An Experimental Exploration Of Longing

There is a certain ease to Dualist Inquiry’s music production that all well-versed with his music might agree to. Dualist Inquiry is the solo project of music producer, pioneer of India’s new electronic wave and now, an emerging multimedia artist, Sahej Bakshi. His identity has not been restricted to just that of music production and he has often forayed into diverse creative ventures like videography and filmmaking. His latest single ‘Closer,’ in collaboration with Sterling Reserve Music Project features Sanchal Malhar (guitarist and lead singer of the band Superfuzz), explores the theme of longing. It tries to work through how one feels the need for a deeper connection with someone and how the inability to do so brings with itself a certain insatiable yearning.

Conceptualised, shot, and edited by Sahej himself, the video becomes a way through which the audience connects and relates with the music. It works like a bioscope through which we are able to see the events unfold. Actress, model and yoga teacher Sharanya Narayanan plays the part of the significant other or the imagined other. The VFX used to depict her many moods sets the tone of the video. “I know you don’t look at me in the same way, just let me be a fool and love as I conspire,” sings Sanchal while lying on the bed as the muse depicts the many moods of angst and frustration.

The subjectivity of the video depends on how the audience relates to it in terms of their own personal experiences and history. There is a multiplicity to Sharanya’s character, where she can be considered either as the significant other who is even though near in physical proximity is unable to match the emotional wavelength or an imagined figment of the singer’s imagination.

“This project was about bringing the visual story for Closer to life. There was so much raw emotion to work with from the start, as the song is an immensely personal reflection based on real-life experiences. We knew that the video had to depict a love story but we wanted to do it in a visually interesting way. That’s what led to the idea of Sharanya performing her role in a green chroma-key suit which opened limitless possibilities in the post-production process” said Sahej.

You can listen to his latest here.

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