We've [slowly & silently] been trying to fill in a few gaps [some obvious & some not-so-obvious ones], and we're happy as we take another small step forward and share our July Dubplate feature - 'tsurbhi'. A DJ & Producer based out of Delhi, Surbhi finds pure joy in DnB and the sub genres. Having spent the first twenty-something years of her life believing that music was her calling, she always dreamt of playing on the stage someday, and after almost a lifetime of dreaming about it, tsurbhi finally took to the deck and has not looked back since. Being partial to the bass in her musical choices, she experiments with genres where it is the hero. Like her personality, her music is eccentric and full of life. Firm in her belief that music transcends the boundaries of time and space, today she is a DJ who plays for the moment. We had a quick talk with her, about her project, her love for the genre and how she has been dealing with this current pandemic situation. While you read, hit play and listen to this badass mix she has put together for us.
1. How are you doing and how are you spending your time during this isolation period?
A - The experience of the pandemic has been surreal. Given my immense privileges, it has been easy to stay at home and be safe from immediate physical danger. However, it has also brought to the fore the importance of putting up boundaries against rampant media consumption, including social media, for mental safety as well. During the isolation period, I have oscillated between a complete state of flow and a crippling FOMO and has helped me see the change in the quality of work that I produce in each.
2. How did the tsurbhi project come to life? A - I have always been musically inclined in my creative pursuits. When I was younger I tried to learn Hindustani classical music which I was fascinated by but never had the real discipline required to make any significant progress. This did not mean, though, that the dream did not live on. Eventually, once I had had enough of corporate life and learnt the value of discipline (and realised that moving forward in life was impossible without creatively applying myself to music) I started learning electronic music. I was already an avid listener and given my natural affinity to softwares, I decided to take electronic music up in a meaningful way - which is when tsurbhi came to life.
3. Having experimented with multiple genres, tell us when you fell in love with Drum & Bass? A - At my core, I’m a person who loves the melodious symphony of drum and bass sounds. When I was younger, I used to love listening to metalcore. Then I moved to dubstep. On starting with tsurbhi, I tried out house and techno and while they are a lot of fun too, the thrill of D&B gets my blood going. For example, I don’t always like dancing in parties, but when I attended Basscamp, it was difficult to get me away from the metaphorical ‘dancefloor’. I think it was at Basscamp one year, when I decided I’m gonna play this music someday.
4. Your drum & bass sets are filled with dark and punchy numbers. Tell us more about your penchant for the darker side of drum & bass?
A - The music I listen to and eventually play is a reflection of how I see life. Life is not just the sugar and spice and all things nice. I’ve been doing shadow work for a while now and I have a great appreciation for the darker aspects of life. I think that is what shows up in my natural gravitation towards dark and punchy numbers.
5. You’re one of the few female artists pushing Drum & Bass in the country. What would your message be to the women who want to push D&B in India?
A - Drum and Bass has a chance to truly unravel the more difficult parts of ourselves that we sometimes tend to hide from. Given the legacy of using female vocalists for melodic DnB, it is already a genre that is familiar with the feminine energy. We just need more women to pump into it and level the playing field!
6. You are headlining the mainstage at SUNANDBASS in front of a massive crowd. What will be your opening track?
A - Grafix - Refuge. I’m a HUGE Grafix fan.
7. 5 tune you are digging at moment?
A - 1 ] Achille - Naibu
2] Gleams - Bert H, Elle Chante
3] Aurora - Camo & Krooked
4] Jump in the Water (Memtrix Remix) - July Jones
5] Begin By Letting Go - Etherwood
• Follow tsurbhi - Facebook | Mixcloud | Instagram | Soundcloud
Tracklist :
Skylark - Minimal Processes [Dispatch Recordings]
Criteria - Kaleidoscope [Nu Venture Records]
Friske - A Different Perspective [Metalheadz]
BCee - Surfacing feat. Lucy Kitchen - Spearhead Records
Culprate - No Words (Dexcell Remix) - [Inspected Records]
Camo & Krooked & Mefjus - Kallisto [Hospital Records]
Kleu - Dark Arts [DnB Allstars]
Siren - Advent [Siren Sounds Records]
Seba & Manos - Evergreen [Secret Operations]
Camo & Krooked - Aurora feat Metrik [Hospital Records]
Bredren - Backlash [Demand Records]
Technimatic - Lakota (ft. A Little Sound) [UKF]
Rafau Etamski - Lush Dream [Nu Venture Records]
Blue Marten - Somewhere (Feat. Agne Genyte)
Thesis - Reawakened [Soul Deep Recordings]
Homemade Weapons - Swampdrain
Spectrasoul Ft. Jamie Jooste - Play The Fool [Shogun Audio]
The Goat - Calibre
Nova - Liquid Memoirs & Arkii
Hear Me - Blastikz [Nu Venture Records]
Lupo & Disrupta - Spiral
Hypa - Cecil Hotel [Flexout Audio]
Silo - Balatron [Diascope]