Creative Course

MIDIval Punditz,who were pioneers in the electronica circuit in India when it first started over a decade ago,were also the first Indian act to sign a multiple-studio album deal with an international record label called Six Degrees Records in 2001. Hello Hello,Punditz’ third studio album,is an 11-track set that comes after a gap of two years and has been co-produced by singer and instrumentalist Karsh Kale who has been playing percussions for the duo for over a decade. “We have used the evolving method in some tracks. We made improvisations during our shows,and finally completed the record after gauging what the audiences liked,” says Raj.

Punditz have made a small impact in Hollywood with their song Dark escape in the Natalie Portman- Julia Roberts starrer Closer in 2004,and with sitcoms like Prison Break and Six Feet Under playing their Bhangra fever a few years ago,but it is a different kind of Bollywood they prefer. “We like to work with full creative freedom,which is probably why Bollywood is not our prirority,” says Raj. He and Raina have nevertheless composed for Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding,and remixed for Don,Dhoom: 2,Fashion and Luck by Chance. The duo are now working on two independent films,including Ajay Naidu’s Ashes.

The progression in sound on Hello Hello is a result of their varied collaborations over the years,all of which have heavily influenced their music. As Shankar Mahadevan gets behind the mic on Desolate,singer Papon belts out a classical melody in Naina laagey. Apart from the originals,there’s a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Four sticks with female vocals by the Israeli jazz band J Viewz.

Performance at Shalom,Vasant Vihar,on May 2. Contact: 26123143