Dust Breaks, the alias of California-based producer Vijay Jayant, continues his endeavors in the realm of drum & bass with “SHAKTI.” The rising artist first entered the world of dnb alongside fellow artist JAK with their collaboration “Crossed.” Now, with his second release of 2024, Dust Breaks innovates with a rare fusion of genres. Through “SHAKTI,” his inventiveness shines with this semblance of Indian classical music and breakneck drum and bass. From the introduction, Jayant immerses the listener in a sonorous atmosphere of resonant instrumentals, intricate tabla rhythms, and an enchanting layered vocal line. Next, the sonic journey erupts into the gritty breakbeats while he transforms the previous vocal line into a ethereal yet rhythmic stabs. While Indian classical music and drum and bass may seem worlds apart, the intersection occurs with the cyclical rhythms of both genres, creating an effortless flow with the vocals and instrumentals.
Regarding the brand new single, Dust Breaks shares:
I have experimented with Indian sounds in some of my previous work, but SHAKTI is the first track of mine where the Indian elements feel a lot more confident and pushed into the forefront. I’ve always wanted to represent my culture in a way that feels genuine and true to what I love about music, but is also fresh and empowering.”
Through “SHAKTI,” Jayant displays his precise production and musical prowess. From a quick search, the term “shakti” translates to “strength” or “power,” which I find fitting for this invigorating release. And, we can’t wait to see what comes next!
Dust Breaks is the alias of California-based electronic producer Vijay Jayant. Pulling from the eccentric and unhinged style of The Chemical Brothers, distorted aggression of early Justice, sampling tendencies of Daft Punk, and the structure of modern EDM, Jayant’s repertoire displays a style of dance music that hits hard with fist-pumping energy – and unapologetically displays his passion for animals and creature related media.
Dust Breaks
Since his formation in 2013, Dust Breaks has never been bound by a single genre. His debut full-length album, Organism, was released in 2016 with a heavy focus on Big Beat, Prog Rock, and Industrial Metal. Subsequent releases such as 2018’s Rock the Pain EP and a number of singles leading to 2020 found Jayant’s genre moving from a blatant 90’s Big Beat homage to slick and modern EDM territory. That gradual progression of genres culminated in Jayant’s second full-length album: the 2023 Bass/Tech House opus, Fossil. Following the release of Fossil, Jayant began to perform live shows around the Bay Area. The experience of performing live music inspired a new shift in Dust Breaks’ genre evolution, and introduced the addition of Drum & Bass to his sonic arsenal.
In 2024, Jayant is pursuing a series of singles that fully embody faster tempos and more aggressive drum samples than anything in his older catalog.