Jeevan Goyal also known by the name ‘Jeevana’ and Siddhant Jadhav aka ‘Essjay’ are self-taught musicians hailing from Mumbai and met via a common friend in a studio session. Jeevan is a DJ and music producer, while Siddhant dons multiple hats as a singer-songwriter, guitarist and music producer/composer. Both artists wanted to create their original sound which led them to come together to work on their EP ‘Daydreams’.
This EP is a blend of many genres including rock, pop, lo-fi to jazz, the most prevalent one being lo-fi. ‘Daydreams’ is an ode to the life, and living it to the fullest. Lyrically, it moves you profoundly, as it deals with topics such as freedom, personal battles and hope. The EP is emotive, characterized by slow paced music, hypnotic beats and Siddhant’s vocal prowess. It is a reflection of the dreams of today’s youth and also hints upon the challenges and consequences that may come with freedom. When asked about their inspiration for the EP, Jeevan and Siddhant say, “The human condition, our existence and everything in our surrounding inspires us to create music. Art is a beautiful way to express ourselves and bring these to life. The EP wasn’t planned and we both just kept jamming to new ideas and creating melodies. It is a culmination of the essence that we carried throughout our life till now.”
The first song ‘Papertown’ is a sweet- lullaby like track, which is about searching for a place to escape with your loved ones. It’s a place where you find belonginess and liberation from the ties of society. The track is an amalgamation of soft-pop and lo-fi tunes, and has a charming melody to it. The second song ‘Just a touch’ has a mellow melancholic tune throughout the track. The bridge has a transcendental guitar solo section, which gives off trippy vibes. This track enunciates experiencing the taste of independence for the first time. While listening to the track, one feels that they are one with their surroundings, watching fireworks in the night sky peacefully.
‘Rosen Bridge’ is a transition tune, depicting the various possibilities and hurdles that come with a life of freedom. ‘Raw’ is a track which is all about expressing one’s internal battles, and overcoming those struggles through acceptance, confession and acknowledgement. The electronically produced balmy vocals and lo-fi tunes, along with a dreamy soundscape makes this an endearing track to hear, reminding me of Tame Impala’s music.
‘Dream Beyond’ provides a perfect finish to the album, where we are urged by the singer to dream beyond, and continue this journey of life by chasing our dreams without any limitations. Sonically, it is an interspersion of light drumming and lounge music, and has an extremely soothing effect on the mind and soul.
‘Fikr’ is their latest single, where Siddhant’s deep and mesmerizing vocals blend seamlessly with Jeevana’s foot-tapping beat production. The track expresses the nuances of love and how even the feeling of being worried makes one feel elated when they are in love.
On asking about their future plans, Jeevan and Siddhant say “Our only goal right now is to keep exploring new sounds and push boundaries artistically. We are having fun making music and we want to continue doing the same. As John Lennon once said, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. We live by this quote.
