Loudest Discovery | Aeon Waves' fresh new single 'Rhea'

Aeon Waves is the soul stirring solo electronica project of Ahmedabad based music producer/Dj Kanishk Bhudori and he’s back with a fresh new single ‘Rhea’ released on the independent label TAABIIR

Dabbling with a range of soundscapes, from ambient & chill to liquid & DnB, his compositions are the kind that make you lose track of space and time and make you drift away the moment you press play and I must say his latest single doesn’t disappoint.

Listen here!

A sound engineer by profession, Aeon Waves has released a string of brilliant tracks all over the globe and 8 EP’s over the span of two years with labels like Onset Audio, Easy Summer Group, Bearskin Records, and Mindtricks Records. He's one of the few artists from the independent music industry who's made an impact on the global music scene with an astounding 60k - 90k views on some of his tracks which have been featured on Youtube channels like 'Ambient', 'Keep It Underground' etc. [embed]https://youtu.be/85O4TPcz-6c[/embed] With an ever-growing community of electronic music enthusiasts, Kanishk's music has also blossomed into areas which are beyond classification in terms of genre and style and we can't wait to hear more of his music (hopefully live!) [caption id="attachment_3480" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Kanishk Budhori aka Aeon Waves[/caption]

Akriti Niti Guha spoke to Kanishk Budhori aka Aeon Waves and his manager Ankit Chugh from indie label & artist management company Taabiir about his process as a creator of melodies, beginnings and how to stand out in the independent electronic music scene. Excerpts:

Akriti: What led to the arrival of Aeon Waves? Kanishk: When I started making music, I was trying to learn FL Studio. Inspired by newly-discovered electronic music I started making some scratches and incomplete projects. Keeping a sense of my beliefs and my goals, I slowly started getting better. As I continued to dig through more music and artists, my knowledge about production techniques got better. Along with making music and melodies, I had also to figure out an artist name which could reflect on my music. After reading various mediums, I found the first-word 'Aeon' which means infinite/never-ending or a loop and then adding 'Waves' which is a term related to sound. Thus, 'Aeon Waves' was formed. Akriti: Do you recall the frame of mind you were in when you set out to create the new single 'Rhea'? What's the inspiration here? Kanishk: Well for me, music I make is always related to how I feel at that moment. I recall being extremely tired after spending some 15hrs at my job, and thanks to Anime, I imagined a dragon-riding warrior with a sword and everything, just pushing through. And the warrior's name felt like Rhea.  [caption id="attachment_3481" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Artwork by Shrey Kathuria[/caption] Akriti: I read somewhere you started out producing trance music. Can you take us through your journey as an artist and how you adapted into more reflective and almost meditative soundscapes and effortlessly switch back & forth to bass-heavy electronica? Kanishk: Back in 2008-09, I was a huge fan of Michael Cretu's 'The Music Producer of Enigma Series' and listened to various pop artists like Moby, Madonna, Timbaland, etc. But in 2010, I got Internet at my house, and then I discovered Paul Van Dyk, who is one of the legendary music producers of all time. I started listening to his VONYC Sessions weekly that introduced me to Armin Van Buren, Tiesto and Above & Beyond. At that time I was fascinated with their music and production skills, and then I started understanding their techniques, and that's how Trance Music happened. After that, I started exploring other genres and artists related to these styles, and that lead me to artists like Jon Hopkins, Noisia, and Koan Sound. The more I listened, the more I wanted to experiment. I was still confused about what style of music I wanted to associate myself with, and then one day I heard a track named 'Low Down' by Keosz. It gave me goosebumps! At that moment, I saw myself making ambient music. Fast-forward, and now I believe in only making music. It does not matter whether it fits a particular genre or not. I want to experiment. I want to emote. I want to make music. Akriti: How does it feel when your music is received with such an amazing response especially with the number of views and hits on your music online? Kanishk: For an Artist, it's always a proud moment receiving such a response. Honestly, it feels right at the same time because you feel connected to your audience, knowing that they like the kind of music that you do. Such success gives me more inspiration & motivation to keep going. Akriti: Tell me more about your soundtrack project for a sci-fi animation movie which is in works by a filmmaker based in the United States? When can we expect to see/hear that? Kanishk: After releasing my first EP 'Coldfront' on Onset Audio, Seth Broman (founder of Onset Audio) forwarded this project which was handled by Geoff Moody. The project is called 'The Gates Of Charon'. I've been provided with scenes and some additional information regarding the project. It's a Sci-Fi film with political undertones, and few more artists are also contributing to this project. It's tentatively coming out in Spring-2018. [caption id="attachment_3483" align="aligncenter" width="679"] Aeon Waves debut gig with REProduce LR Sessions in Ahmedabad[/caption] Akriti: 2017 was a big year for you as a live act, with your REProduce LR sessions debut and with a recent guest mix for Boxout.fm. Does this mean fans can expect to see, hear & experience more of Aeon Waves live in 2018? Kanish: Yes, 2017 was surprisingly a good year. Live performances are never easy, luckily Nischay and Sarvagya were there to help me out. Thanks to Taabiir, I got to play with Boxout.fm as well. I want to take more risks in 2018. For now, I'm releasing an EP on Mindtrick Records, a single on Nicksher Music and a single which will be a part of a compilation for Puerto Rico Benefit Charity thanks to the people at Onset Audio and Din Is Noise. I also want to do more shows, DJ sets or Live performances. Ahmedabad has been kind, but now I want to come out to other cities and get more exposure.

Super exciting and emerging electronic artist from Ahmedabad, Aeon Waves with a mix full of atmospheric drum and bass plucked straight from the future. - Boxout.fm

Akriti: You've managed to put out 8 EP's independently (before being signed on by Taabiir) I'm curious to know your approach to the Independent music business. What are the 3 most essential things you learnt that could help budding artists make an impact in the industry? Kanishk: It's just one single approach - Gun for it! I cannot explain how much people in my life have supported me till now. Friends, family, my listeners and even the label managers who have put faith in my music. Three things I did learn though

1. Trust your approach towards music. Keep working until you finish a track, do not overthink or compare yourself or your music to others. If you want to make this your career, you have to keep making songs. 2.
2. Develop a thick-skin when it comes to bad reviews. Patience is essential in this business, so don’t find excuses.
3. If you are not good with anything apart from music, find representation! *laughs*

Akriti: Ankit, Tell me how you came across Kanishk's music and what your relationship with him is, as his manager & record label? Ankit: I heard his music on The Melomaniac Society through a fellow tastemaker, and I liked his music. Pleasantly surprised by the number of tracks he was pushing out at the time. In today's age, musicians are expected to be aware of every part of their 'Brand'. Sometimes these artists do not have an understanding or time to deal with it, and that can lead to a capable artist being overlooked. Staying in Ahmedabad and also working as an audio engineer, he was diligently working on his music whenever he could make time, leaving no scope for social media upkeep and bookings. I want to work with him on his goals and concentrate on expanding more avenues for him. [caption id="attachment_3482" align="aligncenter" width="960"] TAABIIR is an attempt to break away from the period of austerity to pave the way for a new generation of artists and their dreams.[/caption] Akriti: Do you feel that it's hard to strike a balance when it comes to what the artist's vision is and what the industry or market demands? Have you had those challenges with Kanishk? Ankit: I understand that it's a musicians job to be aware of what is out there. You can make tracks all day long in your room and negate all facts pointing towards a shift in the music culture and stay cozy in your comfort zone, OR you could explore. With services like Apple Music and Spotify, the audience is consuming music quite differently and rapidly. Similarly, as a musician, one should keep experimenting and explore new genres, understand them to add it to their productions. Eventually, they are the ones who will be creating the said market demand. Kanishk understands this and both his brothers (Sarvagya and Nischay) also believe in studying new music and implore each other to listen to new artists and production skills. Akriti: With a wave of new independent producers and Dj's coming in the limelight, what are the three biggest developments you've witnessed in the Indian electronic music scene? Ankit: The most significant development I have witnessed is that the artists understand the underbelly of music production. It seems so-very-cool to make music on your computer and slap it out there claiming it to be the next big thing and daydream overnight success. But it is so good to see that artists understand that in these times, they are expected to know everything and do everything by themselves. An artist is supposed to be a composer, producer, recording engineer, mixing and mastering engineer, digital marketer, and publisher, and I'm pretty sure I am still forgetting something. Good discipline and hard work is required. Secondly, artists have started valuing their work. If this in any way is being considered as a viable career option, smart business acumen is required. You need to respect your work and ask others to do the same. This notion of doing gigs free of cost or venues going ahead without making payments is unacceptable, and the artist should be compensated for the effort that has been put in. Thirdly, artists are continuously exploring. It's not about finding the latest fad and sticking with it, playing that repeatedly and wearing off your listener's ears off. We are producing music, we are doing gigs, and the more we do it, the more music we have to listen to and styles we have to learn and more music we have to curate. We have to explore consistently, and we are doing it! Aeon Waves new single 'Rhea' is out now on Apple Music and Spotify:  [embed linkText="Spotify"]https://open.spotify.com/album/256CCBWq1iIBKf3AVdpt2d?si=51W9HLiBSv6LuRSVXRuDeQ[/embed]