Exclusive Premiere: Producer BlueNucleus Channels the Taj Mahal in Video for ‘Affliction’

Producer Sourabh Pateriya aka BlueNucleus invokes the Taj Mahal but places it in a seemingly metaverse-like setting in the striking animated music video for his latest song, “Affliction.” Part of his upcoming album Entanglement, the Stockholm-based Indian beatsmith (and filmmaker) finds a way to build a bridge between quantum physics and relationships, teaming up with animator Tom Greyman for the video.

Sonically, “Affliction” draws from synthwave, future bass and trap production, recalling BlueNucleus’ influences such as Illenium, Flume and more. The producer also tapped into a powerful chorus recorded by unnamed folk singers from Pakistan, whom Pateriya says are related to legendary vocalist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. With translated lyrics and messages appearing throughout the video and heightening the experience before drops, “Affliction” makes for an eye-catching audio-visual experience.

Pateriya says in a press release, “’Affliction’ captures the feelings of a person who’s going through a heartbreak and how eventually that person emerges out of the feeling of affliction by bringing out rare pearls in the form of spiritual awakening.” As for the video, Pateriya says he wanted to explore the “darker side” of the Taj Mahal as not just a symbol of love but also a tomb. “The Taj Mahal as a place is highly relatable to Indian and International audiences and most of them understand the reasoning behind why it was built. I didn’t think twice before using it in my music video as no other symbol of love is as widely known as the Taj Mahal within India,” he adds.

Entanglement, which will release on September 23rd, sees BlueNucleus tap into different phases of a relationship, while also nodding towards quantum physics, starting from songs like “Connection” to “Closure.” Mastered by James Auwarter (who holds a Grammy for his work on a gospel album in 2007), the album features Indian indie artists like Arunaja, Aanchal Shrivastava, Deepak Kamboj and Radnyi Tyagraj, plus California rapper K-Ottic, among others.