It has been a big year for music so far! This has been across all various platforms and styles  – from international metal acts touring the country to revival live music scene to Dubstep reaching the shores of India.
We at 8octaves have been trying to compile a best of list for the year across various genres. It has been a tough call especially when it came to electronic music. Though electronica in India has been there around for more than two decades It is recently that there has been an explosion in the scene with artists/DJs/performers/event organisations/festivals springing up in various pockets of the country.
There is a dilemma in choosing the best of in electronica, one that the scene is not big enough to hail some artists as the greatest and the variables chosen to decide the various stars of the year might get biased. Nonetheless we have considered releases, quality of music released both aesthetically and production wise, fan following, events and promotion done by the artists to make this best of list.
However we have decided that this is not a rank based list but more a basket of the top artists in the scene. Considering all this here’s the best of list for electronica for 2012 in India –
Silent Horror (Psychedelic Trance)
One of the veteran producers of the psychedelic trance music in India. 2012 has been phenomenal year for this maestro. He released his album Seance on DvSM Records late last year and has been shooting tracks since then across various labels around the world.
Praveen Achary (House)
One of the few dj turned producers to make the list. An interesting prospect to make a mark on the scene in the days to come. Part of labels MarkTub Music, Outside the Box Music, Mirabills Recordings, Baires Records, Dazzle on Records, Spherax Records. One of the headlong acts of God’s own music festival in Cochin early next year
B.L.O.T. (Basic Love of Things) (Electronica/Techno/Dubstep)
Filmmakers, music producers, DJs and one-time lawyers, this multidisciplinary duo are one of India’s leading audiovisual and experiential collectives.
Sandunes (Post Dubstep/Breakbeat)
Sandunes is the recently introduced project of the highly talented and good looking Sanaya Ardeshir. With two EP releases in the year already and Mumbai-Delhi-Bangalore tour, she is building base in the highly diverse electronica music scene in the country.
Phi Degrees (Techno/ Prog House)
Been around since more than 3 years now, this duo is critically acclaimed and was handpicked to play for a major electronic festival in the country.
Arjun Vagale (Techno)
Member of highly reputed Jalebee Cartel, has built a quite reputation around his self titled solo project. The man has done gigs in various countries and has more than 7000 followers on soundcloud. Other members of Jalebee Cartel, Ash Roy and Calm Chor (Ashwin Mani Sharma) have launched similar projects this year.
Hydropanic (Psychedelic Trance)
Brothers Rishabh and Pratik make heavy forest styled psychedelic music. The production quality is top notch. They have featured on releases of a number of international labels and have even performed at international festivals.
Dualist Inquiry (Electronica)
Dualist Inquiry is the branchild and solo project of Sahej Bakshi, a producer, guitarist and performer. A rising new electronic talent of the country, known not only for production but also his performances.
Nucleya (Electronic/Fusion/Breakbeat/Dub)
Been around since nineties, Udayan Sagar aka Nucleya has presented an interesting new direction in the growing electronica scene in the country. Co-founder of Bandish Projekt, he has already released 14 Singles, a studio album “Bhor” and a number of collaborations.
B.R.E.E.D (Dubstep) B.R.E.E.D aka DJ Nasha is a veteran to the dance music industry and one of the few who actively continues to be a part of it. Currently he enjoys being ambassador of Dubstep music in India. Though not so musically unique the man has been a crowd hustler for over a decade.
