The debut album from LA underground producer/DJ/musician Sahaja, draws influences from his expansive vinyl collection of disco, afrobeat, brazilian, R&B, psyche, and rare new age music, but made almost exclusively with analog synthesizers + vintage drum machines in the Joshua Tree desert. Known for rocking parties as a DJ for years, he's played at legendary Los Angeles parties at Firecracker, The Do-Over, and Sketchbook, and he has shared the tables with everyone from DJ Spinna to Theo Parrish to The Gaslamp Killer.
The opening "Invocation" weaves together African drum samples along with a minimal analog kit, held together by a raw Mini Moog bassline and vocals of Afro-Cuban descent. Clearing the path for the listener, the record then moves into “Seven Reasons", a chugging synth beat with a slow-disco bass, with vocals from newcomer Ariane Aumont, and rapper "Effortless." After a short interlude the record picks up into "Home Tonight," an uptempo analog funk number created mostly using a Roland Juno & 707 featuring veteran Bay Area funk musician / producer E. Live on bass and the brassy vocals of Chesta Blake.
"All Of Me" is a heavy synth beat / love song featuring the vocals of South African singer Sihle Mndla, singing both in English and in her native Xhosa tongue. Following is a short number highlighting the ability to improvise on analog drum kits over the smooth & simple grooves of a Roland Jupiter (+ a few other toys), and then a short but sweet live recording of Ariane Aumont, Sahaja & friends on guitar and vocals with simple live percussion.
Side B of the record opens with a Detroit-styled broken house tune, "There Was A Time", with Rhodes chords played out & sampled, pitch shifted vocals, and an array of drums sounds mostly via the Roland 909. D Villa appears next over the tech-heavy love song "Let You Feel," followed by monster beat "Fiendin." Next, the gem of the entire album is "Could This Be Real" with Chesta Blake on vocals, and perhaps offering us the definition of 'Analog Lovers Rock'. Ending on a high note with future-funk track "Electricity" structured around a classic 808 kit, this is a record that promises not to disappoint.
| 1 | Invocation |
| 2 | Seven Reasons |
| 3 | Innerlude |
| 4 | Home Tonight |
| 5 | All Of Me |
| 6 | Some Hip Drum Shit |
| 7 | Vegetable Stew |
| 8 | There Was A Time |
| 9 | Let You Feel |
| 10 | Love |
| 11 | Friendin |
| 12 | Could This Be Real |
| 13 | Innerlude |
| 14 | Electricity |
