Yashraj Turns to Disco-Pop on ‘Gabbar’ and ‘Daae / Baae’

The shimmering, cosmic synths on Yashraj’s new song “Gabbar” melt into a joyous disco pace that’s very much Bollywood-informed, but then we’re reminded that this is still a rap song. Along with his previous singles “Daae / Baae” and “Toast,” the Mumbai rapper is surprisingly relentless as he attacks over hypnotic beats to break new ground.

The rapper worked with producer PUNA on “Gabbar” and his longtime collaborator Dropped Out on “Daae / Baae.” Yashraj says, “The idea with this project was to bring back disco in our own way by taking influences from the past and giving the retro disco sound a modern touch, to create an absolutely unique and never heard before soundscape.” The main challenge, according to the artist, was then making sure the song remained memorable even with the disco elements intact.

With “Daae / Baae” releasing on May 15th, the “Dhundhala” rapper believes that it came at the perfect time “amid negativity and hate.” He adds, “I feel like we just wanted to be able to not take ourselves that seriously and crack a smile within all this, aiming to spread positivity and get people grooving.” Fans – some acquired after Yashraj’s appearance on the Karan Kanchan-produced, Rashmeet Kaur-sung “Ishq Nachaawe” from the Netflix movie Kho Gaye Hum Kahan – all embraced the rapper’s new dive into disco. The longtime fans though, have perhaps always known that Yashraj loves working with different styles, from the tumultuous, hectic electronica of “Raakh” to making electronic duo Lost Stories make drill for “Ruh” and more. “I think over the years, I have really pushed myself to explore various genres and done a lot of cross-genre blends even if I’m very uncomfortable in having an approach towards that genre, and put in the hours to make it sound like it’s not my first attempt on that new genre,” he says.

The goal with whatever style he picks up is to make his rap flow seamlessly and he calls it not so much a challenge as it is fun. “The key was to blend everything tastefully and fluidly, making the artistry shine through effortlessly,” Yashraj adds. Specifically with this project, what’s the common ground shared between disco and hip-hop? “Both require a strong personality to pull off,” he says.

Although more details – like the name, tracklist and release date – of Yashraj’s upcoming disco/hip-hop EP are yet to be out, there’s a strong visual aesthetic being established with the artwork. Music videos will be a part of this project as well, going out to his 112,000 subscribers on YouTube. “This entire project is a sonic experience and a mental movie, and I feel like it deserves an equally compelling visual representation,” the rapper says. A larger theme from the project will “become evident” once the songs and videos are out, according to Yashraj. “I’m excited to take listeners into the disco world we’ve created, ensuring each video captures the essence of the music,” he adds.