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Chennai Songwriter Sai Sanjit Launches Debut Album Featuring Global Artists
By leveraging social media, Sai Sanjit has teamed up with renowned musicians worldwide for his first collaborative album.
Bangalore, India – Chennai-based songwriter and bass player Sai Sanjit releases his debut 12-song concept album "Retrograde." The project, which began over six years ago in his bedroom, was initially intended as an ode to Sai’s passion for music and was meant to be a small release on SoundCloud. However, after receiving positive responses from musicians he reached out to on social media, the release quickly spiralled into the beginning of his journey into the vast world of professional music.
Despite having no formal training in music or production, Sai managed to collaborate with some of his musical heroes. “I managed to have some of the most renowned musicians from India and across the world come on board to work with me. It’s been surreal,” he says. He reached out to all the artists via Instagram, sharing only his demos and his belief in the project. The album features contributions from Grammy-nominated producer Tim Palmer, I Built The Sky, Mumbai-based vocalist Uday Benegal, Delhi-based drummer Suyash Gabriel, actor and guitarist Moses Koul, Kerala-based playback singer Sooraj Santhosh, saxophonist Rahul Joshua Thomas, and vocalist Riju Andrews Jacob.
"Retrograde" is an alt-rock album with prog overtones, blending the nostalgic sound of the '90s with unique, original elements. Conceptualised as a reflection of society, life, and our shared experiences, the album’s songs tell a story sonically. Sai's influences are evident throughout the album, including Steven Wilson, Avial, Tool, Linkin Park, Incubus, and Radiohead. Sai also had the opportunity to work with his role model, guitarist and producer Rex Vijayan from the Kochi-based band Avial. “Rex is a benchmark in music production and songwriting, and working with him and every single one of the artists who came on board for this album has been more than a dream come true.” Sujith Valiyaveetil, producer and guitar player for Sai’s second band, Kochi-based Fish in the Sink, produced the album alongside Sai.
“Once the ball started rolling, I wanted to do this justice, so I decided to finance the album myself by working a full-time job as a Graphic Design Lead and taking on numerous freelance projects. Retrograde' to me is a testament to the creativity and dedication that can emerge from a humble bedroom studio,” Sai concludes.