Sajeeb Saha, otherwise known as Jai Wolf, is an electronic music producer, known for remixes, mashups, and an all-original album titled “The Cure For Loneliness.” Having recently played Del Mar’s live music venue, The Sound, Saha’s live shows create an immersive experience for those who gravitate to his work.
The faint blue lights overhead dimmed, submerging Saha’s young crowd in comfortable darkness. The sound of fluttering piano keys, and the twinkling of stars on the projection screen, each of these aspects made it feel as though the audience was about to embark on a journey, stepping into another world even. The venue shook ferociously, and already, spectators held their hands up high to the captivating music.
Saha appeared against a sea of stars, as his song “Don’t Look Down” played through the speakers. He felt like the audience’s guide, taking everyone through a world of his own creation. He warmly addressed the crowd, asking how his San Diego audience was doing, sharing it was his first show there in seven years. Regardless of Saha’s face being obscured, his passion for the music could be seen in his silhouette alone. He stood atop a curricular platform, with three different music pads on each side of him. It didn’t matter where one stood, be it above, on the dance floor, or further back, every view of the show was excellent.The performance continued on with “Lose My Mind.”
Saha was continuously backlit by the projected visuals behind him, shrouding him in mystique. Said visuals were striking, working in conjunction with the lights overhead, making it feel as though the audience was traveling through technological interiors. Gradually, the song got progressively faster. As the strobe lights switched to red, visuals of a gargantuan robot set loose in a futuristic city showed behind him. From the dance floor, one could look straight up and see other audience members from the balconies, dancing and completely submerged in euphoria.
The audience’s receptiveness to both the music, and complementing visuals, could not be understated. People were bewitched by the immersion the performance offered. One really felt as though they were jumping at the feet of a looming robot marching into battle, flying through the machine’s circuitry. The audience was filled with long-time fans of Saha’s work, people entirely acquainted with his repertoire.
Animated visuals for the following piece, including an astronaut flying through space inside a spacecraft. The Jai Wolf logo, that of a charming stylized wolf, was imprinted on said aircraft. As the music built up against strobing lights, as well as blue, white, and purple lasers, Saha encouraged the crowd to clap along and jump. The performance was unlike anything one could hope to experience within this lifetime. Vocals echoed against the walls. The sporadically-changing nature of the show made it easy to get swept up in.
There was an outpour of cheering once the song concluded, with Saha waving to attendees. Underneath purple stage lights, the visuals continued to mesmerize, showing neon landscapes and cities, unidentified flying objects, shooting stars, and two lovers kissing against a collapsing futurist world. The way in which these images appeared, gave off the artistic impression they were being generated in real time. Words can not do it justice. The audience appeared truly happy to be there, hugging, laughing, and wrought with joy.
During the song “Drowning,” the laser show occurring around Saha was synchronized to the beat of the piece itself. Said lasers transitioned from the color purple to blue, and would gradually rotate downward, just above the heads of spectators. It felt as though the music spoke to this generation. Much to everyone’s surprise, the song “Want It All” was accompanied by live-action visuals, a modern-styled dance between a man and woman in the comfort of their home. Passion radiated through the limbs of said dancers.
“Tennis Skirt,” was complemented by befitting animated visuals, involving a tennis ball with an imprint of the Jai Wolf logo. Mirroring the almost bouncy-like nature of the song, said tennis ball bounced of its own accord within a court, before the visuals completely changed to match the intensity of the song. The ball flew through a barrage of neon-lit tennis courts, with countless audience members singing along. To listen to Jai Wolf’s music, and know when new singles have dropped, visit http://www.jaiwolf.com/.
By: Ava Sarnowski / BackStage360