Meet Sambhav Kaul, commonly known as ‘Athsauath’, a Delhi-based rapper-producer who has recently released his third project ‘Detached – EP’. After almost a year-long hiatus, the artist has come up with a four track EP with a vocal feature from the ‘KDB’ collaborator Amrit Kalam and a production feature from 30Key!. Read more to learn about his EP, some insights into his lyrics and his creative process.
Tell us about the theme of your project “Detached – EP
Worthiness drops down to material possessions in our society. Your favourite rapper who talks about money not meaning shit to them, behind-the-scenes scams over money, fights over money, cries over money and writes for money. The entire society is a fake gig and a monopoly centres around who can regulate materialism well. I’ve been to crematoriums burying loved ones to learn the absence of hierarchy in a place where you’re being burned with 100 others like you after death. Detached is a statement from me as an emcee, I ain’t making music that you dance to (though I know it’s danceable too) this is Delhi and this is real hip-hop, I speak facts. No father money on the production.
How did you curate the soundscape of the EP? Tell us about your production process.
I am a sucker for simple music production. I wanted the EP to kick off as cocky as it could, metaphorically the young age of the man, therefore for the first track – “Rule No. One No Rule” I produced the drums with a simple punchy 808 progression playing along down with some percussion elements. I tried to put on an act to catalyse the comic and cocky bars. I used trumpets to bridge a punchline with the buildup.
To stabilise the downer after a massive punch, I go heavy on melodic production drawing in the realisations of materialism- mocking money and the workings of the society- the age of seeking knowledge in the following track carrying the narrative forward- “Neechey Letey”
The third track is a testament to the dirty workings of the society that these eyes saw, it’s the ultimate realisation, it’s the acceptance of life and death.
The last track – “Chamkila, Amar और paper” is 30KEY!’s beautiful production and is the conversation with the Gods. The boys have become men now and are stronger than ever.
What is your creative process like? How do you write your lyrics?
The ultimate aim of my production is to trigger thoughts in an emcee. The subconscious mind is a curious place man, I don’t like writing my lyrics, everything is live, production- triggers a thought- and I rap about it. That’s why my lyrics are untreated and the flows are untested. I don’t try to flow, I go with intuition.
What’s your favourite verse on a feature?
There’s this track, “Empty” by SAAZMUXIC. I have a featuring verse on that project starting off around at 1:19 and that has to be the purest verse I’ve ever spat in ‘23 – didn’t write it, straight up to the mic. I talk as money
“Yeh paisa mere jaisa
itna bada koi nahi iske jaisa
samaj mai dikhega kaisa tu- karega mai iska faisla
Dikhaya bhaut neeche mai faisal
Lega ma ka baap ka sabka badla aur jamegi mehfil”
One of your best pieces, ‘KDB’ features a beautiful pen game. Can you tell us more about your part of the track?
Amrit hit me with his verse, that was the most goated thing I had ever heard in the underground scene. Our chemistry clicked there. What I see is what I spit and maybe that is what makes it OG.
What do you strive for as an artist? What are your aspirations with your music? Your favorite artists from the industry?
I don’t have aspirations, I am just an emcee with a bunch of stuff to say that everyone knows about in some way or the other but doesn’t know how to word it out. I have been through what almost everyone’s been through or will go through. I have been consistent with my sound and I make the music just for myself.
Tell us about your future plans. What can we get to see from you this year?
Putting out four masters on an extended play on 21st May. Post that, I’ll be working heavily on my production, and will roll out my album!
