Today, we’re shining a light on a forerunner of South Asian pop. The Sri Lankan artist hachajah, who is now living in the USA, is someone who subverts expectation by creating a sound that’s bold, confident and convention busting. His single ‘Mind Gag’ is the latest example of his unmissable talent. This track is entirely composed of vocals, but rather than a straight-forward a cappella performance, hachajah transforms this human sound into something expansive, cinematic and all-encompassing. Even from the first few seconds, we’re struck by those luxuriously layered harmonies that will surely pull any listener into this artist’s pensive narrative.

With a polished production, plus mixing by Ed Boyer and mastering by Bill Hare, there’s nothing that gets in the way of the audience and hachajah’s potent delivery. Every syllable, breath, echo and percussive mouth sound carries the weight of words long suppressed. ‘Mind Gag’ isn’t about ripping off the band-aid, but instead it’s about slowly working through those caged emotions, the taut tension and the claustrophobic thoughts to begin the process of healing. The track eschews a traditional crescendo moment to further cement this quiet internal work. With an accompanying video directed by Nayip Ramos, ‘Mind Gag’ is truly a treat for the senses.

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