In an industry often critiqued for its artifice, NEO 10Y (the moniker of artist Nik Thakkar) stands as a “spiritual revolutionary” whose work functions as a deliberate “philosophical omnipresent portal.” For NEO 10Y, music and identity are not merely artistic choices but “spiritual technologies” aimed at deprogramming societal scripts and activating a collective consciousness of peace.
The Cosmology of a Name: Neoteny and Oneness
The name NEO 10Y is a deeply layered ethereal construct designed to decode reality. It draws from several spiritual and biological dimensions:
- Neoteny: The core of the name comes from the biological term for retaining childlike characteristics into adulthood, which NEO 10Y interprets as a spiritual commitment to leading with “love energy” and the open-heartedness of one’s inner child.
- The Sanskrit Parallel: “NEO” is an anagram for “ONE” or oneness, reflecting their Sanskrit name, Nikhil, which translates to “complete” or “oneness.”
- Binary Unity: The “10” represents complete binary code (1 and 0), symbolizing the togetherness of reality and the non-binary nature of human existence.
- Curiosity as a Catalyst: The “Y” stands for “curiosity energy,” which NEO 10Y believes is the prerequisite for love and the ultimate search for existential meaning.
Art as Spiritual Technology
NEO 10Y views his creative process as a form of “universal download.” As a Reiki Master and practitioner of Vinyasa-Ashtanga yoga, they infuse their “cinematic grunge” and “industrial R&B” soundscapes with high-vibrational frequencies and ancient Sanskrit-style chanting.
His work often references Vedic philosophies, particularly the concept of ahimsa (non-violence). This manifests in their radical advocacy for a vegan future, which they view as a spiritual necessity because “speciesism is the root of all oppression.” For NEO 10Y, identifying as non-binary is itself a spiritual state – a way of understanding the fluid energies that transcend the binary “scripts” of the physical world.
Manifestos of the “Protopian” Future
NEO 10Y’s discography serves as a roadmap for a “protopian dimension of peace.” For example, their visual for CHOOSE LOVE seeks to transport viewers to a heavenly dimension or Hiranyaloka, aiming to induce a meditative state of enlightenment (nirvikalpa samadhi).
His 2025 single, ASCETIC HEDONIST, functions as a definitive manifesto for this journey. It explores the sacred tension between discipline (the ascetic) and pleasure (the hedonist), arguing that true liberation comes from mastering both. Through these portals, NEO 10Y invites the audience to bridge the gap between the mainstream physical world and the astral realm, ultimately proving that “love is the shortcut to world peace.”
Beyond his core manifestos, NEO 10Y’s discography explores self-realization through titles like Vapid Prophecy and his collaborative track Quantum 3rd Eye Realness, which incorporates mantras for energetic healing. The artist has also taken this spiritual mission to mainstream media, appearing on Channel 4’s Higher Ground to discuss plant medicine and on a 2025 Paramount+ show with Jimmy Carr, aiming to inject conscious, “spiritual baddie” energy into traditional entertainment.