du’al·ist n.
The condition of being double; duality
A ground-breaking music producer, a pioneer of the new wave of Indian electronica, a forward-looking music entrepreneur, and, most recently, an emergent multimedia artist – Sahej Bakshi, better known as Dualist Inquiry, is a natural shape shifter who is constantly exploring new creative territories.
First appearing at a time when India’s alternative music scene was in its nascent stages, the producer, composer and multi- instrumentalist’s handcrafted sound features a combination of live and electronic sounds, and has left an indelible mark on the electronica landscape, paving the way for future producers. Sahej was one of the underground scene’s first crossover artists, achieving widespread mainstream success within just a couple of years.
Within a year of breaking through, by 2013, he had acquired headliner status with the release his full-length debut album Doppelganger. Known for consistently delivering genre-defying records, he helped break down doors at a time when rigidity seemed to dominate independent music with a singular sound that stands out from the ever- growing pervasiveness of commercial electronic music.
Following up his EP Natural Disasters (2014) was the LP Dreamcatcher (2016) from which the track ‘Divide’ was licensed by Apple (Global) to be included on their “Memories” music catalogue, while the track ‘Delta Wave’ from the EP Life Forms (2019) was picked as one of “2019’s Best Tracks” by Resident Advisor. In 2020, he was featured on Mixmag’s ‘The Labs’ (Mumbai Edition).
Over the years, Sahej has received multiple awards in recognition of his work, making it to prestigious lists including the Forbes India 30 under 30 and GQ India’s 50 Most Influential Young Indians.
His success has gained him popularity across India and internationally, leading him to play at festivals like Great Escape Brighton UK, Berlin Music Week Germany, Ultra Music Festival Korea, Malasimbo Festival Philippines and Music Matters Singapore as well as opening for the likes of Deadmau5, Fatboy Slim, David Guetta, Flying Lotus, DJ Shadow, Beardyman and Basement Jaxx.
Sahej has also collaborated with a number of major international brands including Budweiser, Adidas, Puma, Levis, Red Bull, Absolut, Nike, BMW, Audi, and Levi’s, being selected for Levi’s International 501 CT Campaign in 2014 alongside artists like Haim, Kilo Kish and more.