Electronic fusion artist I-Zen teams up with legendary Indian vocalist Hariharan for new single

I-ZEN teams up with legendary Indian vocalist Hariharan

Electronic music producer I-ZEN has enlisted legendary Indian vocalist Hariharan for his latest single, “5AM,” out October 30. Built around heavy basslines, hypnotic rhythms and chopped vocal samples, the track takes a darker turn than his previous release, “LINEAR,” which featured the late mandolin virtuoso U. Srinivas. Drawing on his love of techno, trance and psytrance, I-ZEN places Hariharan's distinctive vocals in a setting far removed from the traditional Indian music for which he's best known. With production that Hariharan describes as “clean and high-quality, the track creates an organic amalgamation of Indian classical music and contemporary electronic dance music, introducing the richness of Indian classical vocal expression to a younger, global audience”

With a career spanning nearly five decades, Hariharan is one of India's most respected singers, known for his work across ghazals, Indian classical music, film soundtracks, and fusion. His collaborations with A. R. Rahman and his work as one half of the pioneering duo Colonial Cousins have made him a familiar voice to generations of listeners. He is also singing on the most viewed video on YouTube which is the Hanuman Chalisa, which has 5.8 billion views On “5AM,” that voice takes on a different character, as I-ZEN manipulates and weaves the vocals through a driving electronic production.

The single follows “LINEAR,” which features recordings by the late U. Srinivas, one of India's most celebrated mandolin players. While that track leaned into melodic instrumentation, “5AM” is heavier and more club-oriented. The two releases showcase different sides of I-ZEN's musical interests, spanning The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, and Moby, as well as Goa trance, Infected Mushroom, and Paul van Dyk.

Growing up immersed in Indian music while developing a passion for electronic sounds, I-ZEN has long been interested in finding ways to bring those influences together. His approach isn't about recreating traditional Indian music for a dance floor, but about seeing what happens when familiar sounds are taken apart and used in different ways. His collaboration with Hariharan, who is also his father, adds a personal connection to the project, though the focus remains firmly on the music itself.

I-ZEN adds; “Working with my father (Hariharan) on 5AM felt like a natural choice. I’ve grown up listening to him perform Indian classical music, including intricate sargam in ragas like Miya ki Todi. He has always been innovative, and the idea was never to force two genres together, but to bring his vocal expression into an electronic dance music structure to create something new.”

“5AM” is taken from I-ZEN's forthcoming album, FALSE AWAKE, which features collaborations with established Indian musicians and vocalists and electronic production influenced by trance, techno, and psytrance. Rather than settling into a single sound, the album moves between melodic arrangements and harder, more experimental material, reflecting the range of music that has influenced him over the years.

The project also carries a broader idea. I-ZEN aims to introduce younger listeners, particularly those outside India, to artists and musical traditions they might not otherwise encounter. Indian music has a long history that extends well beyond Bollywood, and through his own productions, he's finding ways to bring some of those sounds to a wider audience.

With “5AM,” I-ZEN offers another taste of FALSE AWAKE and a clear indication of the album's range, taking a voice familiar to millions of listeners and setting it against a much heavier electronic backdrop.

ABOUT HARIHARAN

Hariharan is one of India’s most celebrated vocalists, renowned for his distinctive, soulful voice and pioneering contributions to ghazals, film music and Indian fusion. With a career spanning nearly five decades, he has recorded more than 5,000 songs across 10 languages and collaborated extensively with Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer A. R. Rahman. In 1996, he co-founded the pioneering fusion duo Colonial Cousins with composer Leslie Lewis, becoming part of the first Indian act to perform on MTV Unplugged. Moving fluidly between Indian classical traditions and contemporary sounds, Hariharan has built an enduring legacy as one of the country’s most versatile and influential musical voices.