Scream Arjun Vagale and you’ll have a 100 people surround you asking “Where?”. A pioneer on the Indian Electronic Music and techno scene, Vagale has crafted a firm place for himself in the imaginations of his listeners. He has toured around the globe and played for the likes of Fat Boy Slim, Dubfire, Apparat, Adam Bayer, Sasha and Josh Wink among others.
It goes without saying that the fame that he has achieved, doesn’t come without honing your craft with constant practice and a hunger to be better. Little known with the ‘popular’ crowd, Vagale debuted an experimental moniker for all things non-techno or 4 by 4, which he calls ‘Asymetrik’. After establishing his place in the commercial scene, it seemed like he wanted some space to discover a sound that is guided by his inner voice, rather than that of his fans.
Under AsymetriK, he has so far released two EPs – “AsymetriK 001” and “AsymetriK 002”. Both have been very different from each other, but share the quality of being exceptionally experimental from Vagale’s characteristic sound on his other moniker. His love for synths, a penchant for experimentation and deep knowledge of melodies came through the first two releases on this moniker.
Earlier in November, he released his third installment ‘AsymetriK 003’, an EP that explores the EBM, industrial and noise genres of electronic music. Throughout the EP, there is an energy that one can easily confuse with the adrenaline rush of hard drugs. To be able to communicate that energy with music is a gift that Vagale is uniquely blessed with.
Starting with ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’, Vagale showcases his prowess with the drums, abandoning 4 to the floor and creating a melody with his drum beat. From a bass heavy first track, Erratic heroes the percussions and the high frequency elements to create a beat which feels like a natural progression to the first track. On the third track, he collaborates with EAS, a South Californian producer whose sound comes very close to what Vagale was going for in this EP. The 3rd track ‘Wallstonecrft’ is a energy of the first squared, given the heavyweights who are producing it. The fourth track is a remix produced by EAS of AsymetriK’s ‘Before Dawn’.
EBM (Electronic Body Music) is not a genre that many Indian producers feel comfortable with. Sure, it has been around in the country and played at venues, but an Indian producer actively exploring EBM is a feat unheard of. Vagale’s expertise shines through the album and can be a shining beacon of light for those who now want to go down the EBM route. But then again, showing the way is what Vagale is best known for!
