Swarathma’s ‘Dubstep’ Inquiry

Delving into the history of this collaboration,Murali says,Swarathma was introduced to Dualist Inquiry’s music by their manager,and the band was intrigued. Later,Swarathma met Bakshi at various festivals and they decided to collaborate. “Sahej was sent the album Topiwalleh and he picked Naane Daari,” he adds.

The lyrics,written by Swarathma’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist Vasu Dixit,

is in Kannada,but breaks the language barrier to bring to you what the band wants to convey through sound. The band featured Nanne Daari (I am my way) sixth on the playlist of their second studio album Topiwalleh,released in May last year. The first note that Murali’s guitar utters is captivating,embarking on to a stunning arpeggio. The euphoric riff explodes in a listener’s brain and commands to him or her — “evoke your youthful spirit”.

The electronic beats,Bakshi’s embellishment to the song,drop in a few seconds into the riff. And then the senses meet the unexpected,Dubstep. It is a rare experiment in which Indian folk-rock and Electronic Dance Music (EDM) acts have come together. Dubstep,a genre of electronic music,which is a rage among the youth,reiterates the youthful message of the song.

“Originally,the song was aimed at being an energetic youth song,” says Murali.

Now the listener can not only hop to it but can also throw his or her hands around when the bass drops.

It has been a trend,agrees Murali,amongst folk-rock and EDM fans to be polarised towards their respective genres and averse to the other. The Naane Daari remix could help sensitise a rigid fan to the beauty of the other genre. So far,this song has been enjoying the overwhelming appreciation of Swarathma fans. “The fans like it and are looking forward to collaborations in the future,” says Murali.

The band members have their roots in different genres. Murali,for example,is a “metal” fan and Sanjeev Nayak,the violinist,is trained in Carnatic music. “As a band Swarathma strives to push the boundaries of sound by incorporating new genres and relentless experimentation,” says Murali. On being asked if Swarathma would follow the single with a similar EDM-fused album,Murali says the chances are high and adds that

a blend of sound as Nanne Daari’s could create new stages and new listeners.