What sparked your interest in music production?
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to make music. I wrote songs for my band while growing up and started writing music pieces in college. However, music production caught my interest in 2019 when I was introduced to DAWs like Logic Pro. I have been a producer ever since.
How has your production style evolved since you started?
It has come full circle now. I started off making what I wanted, regardless of genre. Then I got into the experimental scene for a few years. In 2025, I was performing live electronic music in Goa, so I was totally into dance music. Now, I am humbled by experience and have gone back to making what I wanted, non-genre specific. My latest album, 'Spoken Words for a Distracted Generation,' is a good example of that.
What is the most valuable lesson you've learned as a producer?
To make what you want. Keep your expectations to a minimum. Remember, you 'get' to make music—embrace it.
Which piece of gear or software is essential to your workflow?
After using DAWs like Ableton and Logic Pro over the years, I felt they were restricting the human side and feel of the tracks. I got an AKAI MPC LIVE 2 in 2023 and have been using that ever since, both for live performance and production. I have been DAW-free since '23.
Upload a photo of your studio setup.
I usually make music on the go. A nice headphone and my MPC is all I need. The places where I make music are what work for me. That's why all of my previous 11 albums are different from each other—they have all been made in different places. Some albums were made in Chennai, some in Bangalore, some in Nainital, my hometown, and some in Goa. However, when I'm at home, I have a treated room and I use old Aiwa analog speakers for production. It gives me the raw sound I want to check my mixes. A track from this small yet effective setup has even been played on the streets of Palestine on Radio Alhara.
Upload a snippet of a track you are currently working on.
Energetic. Suitable for listening in a car at night for an introspective journey.
Share a before-and-after example of a mix or master you're proud of.
Even though the tracks are different, the difference in the mixes is pretty apparent. I have started working with a very talented and hardworking mixing engineer, Aravind from Chennai. He is a top-tier industrial mixing engineer and a producer himself, and working with him has taken my mixes to the next level, I believe.
Upload a video of you in the studio producing a beat.
It's just a hard techno session I was having fun with. This is a part of what I picked up in Goa. Just trying to keep the drive up using simple sample sounds.
Upload your favorite track that showcases your signature sound.
It's sort of a mix of quite a few styles I have picked up over the years. I have also been collaborating with a lot of other musicians. This one has been with an amazing singer-songwriter, Amxx, in Chennai right now. I'm glad he decided to share his first upload with me.
Contact and Follow
Email: akash.kohli.016@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueakuko?igsh=MXRlbm4wemx0dm5iYw==
Bandcamp: https://aku-ko.bandcamp.com/album/last-of-dance
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hd4gE757cWEHW01UweL9s?si=RqyenigAQkyoaf3-dUEC6Q
