Name: Kashyap Trivedi aka Kash Trivedi,  Abhishek Banvir aka Solofader
Occupation: DJs, producers, label owner at Lohit (Kash)
Nationality: Indian
Recent release: Kash Trivedi and Solofader team up for their Indian Tech Therapy EP on Lohit.
Recommendations:
Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - It's a beautiful allegorical novel that inspires readers to follow their dreams and listen to their hearts. It resonates with the transformative power of music and the journey we embark on as artists.
Painting: Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh - This iconic painting captures the essence of creativity and the beauty of the night sky. It reminds us of the emotional power of art and how it can evoke deep emotions within us.

If you enjoyed this interview with Kash Trivedi and Solofader and would like to stay up to date with their music and current live dates, visit their respective Instagram profiles: Kash Trivedi; Solofader



What made it appealing to you both to DJ yourselves? What was it that you wanted to express and what, did you feel, did you have to add artistically?

Well, there's this magical feeling when we're able to take people on a journey through music.

As DJs, we wanted to express our own musical taste and share it with others. We wanted to add our artistic touch by creating seamless transitions, blending different genres, and curating a unique atmosphere that gets people moving and grooving.

It’s the cities that we've lived in or traveled to that inspired us to make music about them. A lot of times it was like the places were speaking to us in the form of musical notes.

Which other DJs were important for your development and what did you learn from them?

Deepdish, Sasha, John Digweed, Axwell, Hardwell, David Guetta and Armin Van Buren  are some names that we have deeply drawn inspiration from while we were developing music as  professionals. Whether its EDM, House, progressive house or Global Underground music genre each holds utmost importance for us. These guys have taught us to stay original with the art and have one’s own perspective for music.

In fact, since last few months’ we have started drawing inspiration from each other also.

[Read our Sasha interview]
[Read our John Digweed interview]

What does a great DJ add to the clubbing experience?

A great DJ adds an extraordinary dimension to the clubbing experience. They have the power to create an immersive atmosphere, taking the crowd on a sonic adventure. They know how to build tension and release it with perfectly timed drops.

A great DJ understands the pulse of the dancefloor, connecting with the audience and keeping them engaged throughout the night.

Do you think that DJing creates a new form that can take on the qualities of a composition in its own right? Is this something you strive for?

Absolutely! DJing is an art form in its own right and can be seen as a composition. It's about selecting the right tracks, creating unique blends and transitions, and building a narrative through the set.

As DJs, we strive to create a musical journey that takes people on an emotional rollercoaster, evoking different moods and feelings throughout the performance.

When digging for music to play at your sets, what do you listen for?

When digging for music to play at our sets, we listen for tracks that have Indian energy and vibe. We look for songs that can create a connection with the audience and keep them engaged.

We love our nation, India. Some of the tracks we have created are inspired by awe-inspiringly beautiful places but their names are hardly heard by people. We strive to create a mix of tunes that justifies the Indian culture, locale’s core emotions, landscapes, and ethnic culture yet be internationally tasteful.

We feel the amalgamation of Indian classical music and International beats is found hidden in the core of our every song and that’s what we mostly listen to while digging.

How would you describe the experience of DJing, physically and mentally? Do you listen – and DJ - with your eyes open or closed?

The experience of DJing is both physically and mentally exhilarating. It's a dance between the mind, body, and the music. When we're in the zone, we feel a deep connection with the music, and it's like we're in a trance.

As for our eyes, they are open, absorbing the energy of the crowd and connecting with them visually. But sometimes the beat drop takes us to a different realm of reality itself.

How does the decision-making process work during a gig with regards to the inclusion of key records, the next transition, and where you want the set to go? How far do you tend to plan ahead during a set?

During a gig, the decision-making process is a mix of planning and spontaneity.

We usually have a general idea of where we want the set to go, but we also leave room for improvisation based on the energy of the crowd. We read their reactions and make on-the-spot decisions about the next track or transition to keep the momentum going. It's all about finding that perfect balance between preparation and being in the moment.

As DJs, we need to improvise spontaneously if the crowd is not co-singing with the vocal. You know what we mean ;)

When you're DJing, does it actually feel like you're inventing something on the spot – or are you inventively re-arranging patterns from preparations, practice, or previous performances?

While DJing, we feel like we're inventively re-arranging patterns from our preparations, practice, and previous performances. It's like having a toolbox of musical elements that we can mix and match to create something unique for each set.

It's a combination of creativity and intuition, fueled by the energy of the crowd.

Describe how the presence of audiences/dancers influences your mixing. How do you engage with them?

A successful show is not just built by DJs but everyone together. Sound, lights, performances, venue, and everything is synergistically involved to make a great set.

The presence of audiences / dancers along with every other aspect of the show has a profound influence on our mixing. Their energy and reactions shape the direction of the set. We engage with them by observing their responses, interacting with them through music, and creating moments of shared euphoria.

It's a symbiotic relationship where their energy fuels our performance, and our music, in turn, energizes them.

Online DJ mixes, created in the studio as solitary events, have become ubiquitous. From your experience with the format, how does the experience and the way you DJ when you subtract the audience?

When it comes to online DJ mixes, it's a different experience compared to live performances. Without the physical presence of the audience, it becomes more focused on the music itself. We are more involved with ourselves in an online show, since the audience is missing. It allows for more experimentation and precise crafting of the mix.

However, the absence of immediate feedback from the crowd can also be challenging as you don't have that instant connection and interaction.

Technology has continually taken on more steps of DJing, producing, and other "creative" tasks. From your point of view, where does "technology" end and "creativity" begin? Especially in the light of advances in AI, where do you see the role of humans in DJing versus that of technology?

Technology and creativity go hand in hand in DJing. While technology provides us with new tools and possibilities, it's the creative vision and human touch that bring it to life. Technology enhances our ability to express ourselves but doesn't replace the creativity and intuition of the human DJs.

The foundation of DJing was built on the electronic transformation of musical instruments, thus we always look at technological updation as a positive sign. AI can assist in certain aspects, but the artistry and emotional connection of DJing will always come from the humans behind the decks.

We believe AI can be looked as a friend who can assist the DJs in building engaging sets.

Collaboration is a key part of almost every aspect of music-making, but it is still rare in DJing. Do you have an idea why this is? Tell us about your own views on back-to-back DJing, interactions with live musicians, or other forms of turning DJing into a more collective process.

Collaboration is indeed less common in DJing compared to other aspects of music-making. However, there's a growing trend of back-to-back DJ sets and interactions with live musicians.

We believe DJing can become a more collective process, where artists can collaborate on stage, feeding off each other's energy and skills. It opens up new possibilities and creates a dynamic experience for both the DJs and the audience.

DJing requires empathy, focus, time management, patience, and vision, among others. Are you finding that the way you play influences the way you live your life and vice versa?

Our DJing journey was quite humble, with small beginnings. We used to work as cassette recorders and that’s what brought us close to records. Not just DJing but music overall has definitely influenced the way we live our lives.

As experienced teachers, who teach DJing to youngsters from various walks of life, we realized the importance of empathy, focus, patience. If you are a good human being and more harmonious with others, it reflects on stage too. If you face real-life challenges, you get the strength to overcome on-stage challenges too.

Do you feel as though DJing is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

We feel DJing, making a cup of coffee, driving a taxi, or mopping the floor, each has its own mundanity but also a window of creativity. If you do it with all your heart and head, you are going to ace it.

There used to be a time when standing in long queues really bugged us, but now we just stand and create music by tapping at whatever we can get our hands on. Music turns any mundane moment for us melodious.

Let's imagine you lost all your music for one night and all that is left at the venue is a crate of records containing a random selection of music. How would you approach this set?

If we lost all our music for one night and had a crate of random records, we would approach the set as a creative challenge. We would embrace the unpredictability and use our skills to find hidden gems within the crate.

It would be an opportunity to explore different genres, experiment with unexpected combinations, and create a unique experience for the audience.