Hear Aneesha’s Experimental Debut EP ’12:12’

It was pre-pandemic when New Delhi artist Aneesha Dass – who goes by her first name – began sowing the seeds for what would become her four-track debut EP 12:12 that’s just been released. “The process has always been stimulating and exhilarating. The first remnants of an idea bring excitement and a way forward on this journey that I’m on,” she says. The ideas took inspiration from a relationship Aneesha had been through as well as her experience of living through the lockdown.

12:12 is layered with a vast sonic palette that includes pop, electronica, R&B and more while industrial and experimental soundscapes are also heard. “This EP is there to convey that I’m still experimenting with sound, and I don’t want to be boxed into any specific category,” says Aneesha. The record opens with the syncopated “Vice” and features musician Aman Sagar. According to the artist, it is the “darkest and most exciting song on the EP.” On the enchanting “Settle Your Dues” and the slow burner “Stepping Stones,” the singer addresses a difficult breakup. She says, “I felt rage and hurt and then I had closure.” In regard to the immersive “Inside Out,” which is a collaboration with producer/keyboardist Pranay Parti, she says, “The song is supposed to convey the message to dance one’s worries away.”

Aneesha recorded 12:12 at her home studio by herself and used all the hacks she could, from recording in her cupboard to using a quilt as soundproofing. “The loneliness was bearable when at the end of a long day in front of my laptop I got up feeling content that these ideas were finally taking shape and leading to full records,” she says. 

The EP has been mixed by Siddharth Gupta. Aneesha adds, “The mixing process was highly collaborative. We sat together in multiple sessions, did a ton of car, headphone and speaker tests, and finally reached a place where we were both satisfied.”

With a music video for “Inside Out” already released, Aneesha is also prepping a live electronic set to take the music on the road. Looking ahead, the artist has plans for more collaborations while also plotting to drop a bunch of singles in 2022. “I’m diversifying what I do with my sonic influences even more,” says Aneesha. 

Stream ‘12:12’ on Spotify below and on other platforms.