A testament to pushing boundaries in ‘Leather & Brass’ by Sijya

Sijya, the south Asian composer, producer, and graphic artist, releases her EP ‘Leather & Brass’ via her new label One Little Independent Records. A bold, visceral dive into raw textures and unfiltered emotions, it marks a pivotal chapter in her sonic evolution.

The EP is a testament to pushing boundaries, both musically and personally, and meticulously crafted through a blend of digital synthesis and analogue grit. ‘Leather & Brass’ is an exploration of weight, density, and contrast, in sound and sentiment. “Finishing this was a long process. Painful. Not just in the wat that it is painful to make anything, because it is. Ideas are exciting, but you get over them very fast. Then you trudge along until there’s another spark. Before this EP, I feel like I was messing about. I didn’t think a career in music was possible. I had been circling around music for a long time and making album art as a graphic designer, but ‘Young Hate’ was my first attempt of ‘doing’ any music at all. Now, with this second EP, I feel like I have become a musician. I am now doing this with intention. This EP feels like the beginning of me trying to find a sound.”

Recording engineer Jay Panelia played a crucial role, working alongside Sijya to strip digital synths of their sterility. By running them through compression, slapback delays, and mono reverbs, the sound took on an analogue warmth: gritty, heavy, physical. The EP’s title reflects this transformation; soft sounds were hardened, refined surfaces were roughed up.