Saka Self-Releases Emotive 'Silk' EP [Exclusive Interview]

Saka releases the electronically diverse and expressive Silk EP on April 5th. This first self-release from them guides listeners through celestial melodies paired with dnb, experimental bass, and halftime. Teasing us with the recent singles, “False Angel,” and “White Lies,” Saka connects to fans through vulnerability and deeply emotional frequencies. After having “White Lies” on repeat these last couple of weeks, we couldn’t wait to dive into the rest of the Silk EP with Saka himself!

“Silk is my first self-released EP about love, and love lost. From angry, melancholic, or wistful songs that range from four on the floor, to dubstep, to drum & bass featuring my own vocals, I’d say this is my most emotive and expressive work so far.”
Saka

Listen to Saka’s evocative Silk EP here!

Khalila Haque (Electric Hawk): Let’s start with some background! How long have you been producing, and how would you say the Saka project has evolved since then?

Saka: I’ve been producing music since 2017, but the Saka project started in 2018. I started out mostly interested in making ‘future beats’ (circa the 2016 SoundCloud beat scene), which has led to tendencies many of my production characteristics still revolve around. Most of my stuff sat at 85-87 (or 172-174) back then, and I’ve since escaped a singular BPM range. I would say that it has metamorphosed a lot since then, and my influences have also dramatically changed. Initially, it was all about how much “cool shit” I could fit into a track to flex on SoundCloud, and now I create out of a myriad of reasons, including making tracks specifically for the dance floor or even drawing much more inspiration from my emotions, upbringing (especially Hong Kong culture and media), and experiences.

K: For those just discovering your craft, how would you describe the Saka sound?

S: I’m extremely interested in duality as a concept. My favorite artists often explore a sort of bifurcation of heavy-hitting vs more melancholic, introverted sonics. I like to exemplify this in my music across varying tempos, but I would say most of it fits solidly under the ‘experimental’/’leftfield’ bass umbrella.

Saka Silk EP — Saka, shot by Nathen Lane

K: As a fan, I appreciate the range and genre diversity your production showcases. Is this something you think flows intuitively or intentionally?

S: I would say a mixture of both. Intuitively, I feel as if there is a trademark sonic identity I carry from whatever genre I’m putting out, but the intention behind doing so is because I think all of the genres I cover ought to be put side by side (garage, dubstep, halftime, drum & bass, etc).

K: What sets the Silk EP apart from your previous releases?

S: The Silk EP is something I put together when I was totally heartbroken and is my first self-released EP. Because it’s so deeply personal to me and each song essentially articulates little pieces of my heart, it feels so cathartic to get so vulnerable (singing and writing my own lyrics on a song!) with my art. Each song represents a different chapter of my past relationship… the specifics are pretty personal so I’ll let the titles and the sonics speak for themselves. <3

“I feel as if I’ve managed to cover the many feelings I had when putting this together. Writing this was very cathartic and is my own little way of letting go & moving forward; it represents the next step of my artistic journey – writing from the heart.”
Saka

K: We’ve been heavily bumping Rush Hour since its release. What’s it like collaborating and touring with Black Carl!?

S: Kid’s an idiot.

Just kidding! Carl is clearly one of my favorite human beings and a brother to me. I’ve known him since the very beginning of my production journey and we both took a keen interest in sound design with neuro tendencies early on. It has a clear grip on both of our respective sounds now, despite us going all over the place genre-wise (since “Heaven on Earth” is basically a progressive house song after all). I would say that we are almost polar opposites in many ways personality-wise, but it’s exactly why we work together so well. It’s been such a blessing getting to do what we love together.

K: You’ve been on fire at some of the most legendary venues the last couple of months. Are there any moments/experiences that left an imprint from your recent live performances?

S: I just got back from DEF last week and that was one of my favorite sets I’ve played this year alongside the set I played at The Widdler show in Chicago [a tile fell off of the roof while I was playing and I wheeled like four tracks (I never really wheel)]. The energy was really crazy at both of the shows, and I feel like I’ve really started to zero in on how to play out my songs properly ever since my tour last fall with Carl.

From recent and upcoming live performances to his neuro-influenced releases, Saka is reaching out to fans with an open heart and heavy emotions. While combining various genres like dubstep and garage, we’re able to connect with Saka’s sound on a deeper level through melody and bass. After following Saka’s production journey over the years, we’re completely humbled to witness his sonic metamorphosis.

Catch Saka going b2b with Fly at the Mishawaka Amphitheater, supporting the legendary Potions and Player Dave on May 27th!

And if you’re looking for new music, keep up with our weekly Spotify Playlist, Fresh Hunts, or follow us on Twitch. Whether it’s the newest drops from Saka, all your other favorite artists, some old school, or underground—we just want you to hear it.

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