Riya Mahesh, known as Quiet Light, is a medical student from Texas whose music blends dazed ambient production with catchy pop melodies. Her seventh project in six years, Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2, sounds like it's stitched together from samples of her own memories.
The Sound of Quiet Light
On tracks like Berlin, Mahesh sings over a dreamy breakbeat and IDM glitches, with a spoken-word lecture floating in the background. Star100 begins with whispers and laughter before her multitracked harmonies take over. She also delivers wildly catchy choruses, as seen in Dealerz, a collaboration with Danish band A Good Year.
Mahesh describes her music as feminine in tone, using sample-heavy production to deconstruct and reconstruct fantasies. The album recalls singer-songwriters like Samia and Pinegrove, while tapping into the dreamlike production of Grimes and Desire.
Background and Balance
Raised in Texas, Mahesh played piano from a young age, encouraged by her mother, a sitar player. She calls herself "an insanely Texas girl" and was prom queen in high school. After failing to get into Juilliard, she decided to pursue medicine alongside her music career, balancing medical school with her burgeoning artistry.
This Week's Best New Tracks
- Chat Pile – Deep Blue: A funky howl of frustration from Oklahoman sludge-groove noisemakers, horrified by technology's impact.
- Wishy – Lovesick: Scuzzy indiepop perfection from 1993, anchored by Nina Pitchkites' vocal about romantic yearning.
- Debit – Encasadelciegoeltuerco: Galloping distortion-laced beats under ambient tones from the Mexican producer's new album Potpourri.
- Rose Gray – Club to Your Arms: Electro-pop about a nightclub to bedroom tryst, reminiscent of Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
- RealYungPhil – 2x: Connecticut rapper's woozy yet uptempo beat, rejecting rivals with a sensei-like flow.
- Daisy* – Punch: Whispery vocals over speed garage from the artist formerly known as Babii.
- Interpol – This Mirror Weighs a Ton: Gothic trip-hop title track from their eighth album, with Paul Banks' poetic angst.
Listen to the Guardian's rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify or transfer to other services.
