The Score Magazine October 2013 by The Score Magazine

ISSN 0974 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9128

Vol 06 Issue 10 - October 2013

thescoremag

@highonscore

www.highonscore.com

` 50/-

India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

Yamaha Powers BAND OF THE MONTH

SIFAR Hindi Rock gets Progressive

Quirks n Queries

MILI NAIR The upcoming singer on bringing life to music

anushka

manchanda The Indie-Desi-Alternative human jukebox

Anu Malik: The big daddy of Bollywood music strikes again

the edit PAD t

he music season has started. From the beginning of October till the end of December we have approximately 6 regular festivals, 6 EDM festivals, 1 music season, 5 international artists coming down all within a span of 3 months. That’s a mind boggling number. The most encouraging fact: The average income for bands across the spectrum are increasing. It makes us think that the 2nd music revolution has finally arrived. This time around it was built from the very grassroot.

Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development Pragash VM Editor-in-Chief Nikila Srinivasan Associate Editor Supriya Talupuru Head, Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Creative Director George Vedamanickam Lead Designer Nipun Garodia Content Support Sai Adithya Vijith Quadros Radha Mohan Rajani

OurWWW

The average American/European audience is jaded. But the average Indian audience is fresh and flush with the capital to consume this wonderful new eco-system. If you are a business investor with cash and a love for music: this is the perfect time to catch the bus while the going is good and you can get comfortably entrenched. In other news, we are very proud to let all of you know we hit 2 lakh plus views for each of our issues with Priyanka Chopra and AR Rahman. We are elated with all the feedback we’ve been getting. On this month, we have Anushka who pulls indie, alternate and b’wood music off with the same panache. We’re sure this issue will be bang for the buck as well. Have feedback? Write In. Until then, love you all. Peace out.

ajay prabhakar Strategy and Planning

subscribe to us at http://scorem.ag/buy-subscribe

brand partners

DISCLAIMER: Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustrations without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publication and accordingly no liability is assumed by the publisher thereof. Advertising copy and artworks are the sole responsibility of the advertisers. http://www.motherteresafoundation.org.in

For Advertisements and Feedback contactus@highonscore.com

+91 9500012975

The Score Magazine is proud to support the Mother Teresa Foundation and urge our readers to join us in giving back a fraction of what we have been given.

i nside

cover story: Anushka Manchanda

The down to Earth singing - modeling - VJing diva hits the right notes with us.

Band of the Month POWERED BY YAMAHA

Sifar : Journey with our Band of the Month as the charmers from Delhi talk about their upcoming album “2”. Amongst other things, of course.

Quirks & Queries

From youtube with love Genesis of Pink

Mili Nair: The quintessential fey singer has much to tellabout her musical journeys. Tune in and never tune out again.

Anu Malik

The big wig B’wood music composer is back. Literally with a bang. Catch him talking about being a part of Border 2.

In India - live Benny Greb

The girls giving us good music and videos at the same time.

star of the month: Apache Indian 16

Benny Greb pitched his flag recently in India for a set of drum clinics.

Indie Reviews

A recap of the latest music floating about these days.

Fest Focus

Here’s a collection of what happened and what’s to come. Yes, we’re kind to you that way.

The Guru of all things Indian, Rasta and cool reflects on his latest works.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Anushka Manchanda In this special issue, we bring to you a singer, model, an ex-Channel [V] VJ, a member of the Indian pop viral Viva! Our lady Anushka Manchanda has come a long way. We cool our heels off while talking to this wonderful musician with bus no #11 legs.

“

When I started, I knew nothing about singing. I learned on the job. I had times in the studio where I wanted to cry because I was so conscious about what I was able and more than that, unable to do. I always say that if I knew even half the things I know now back then, I would be in a completely different space. You’re 28, hot and happening, even if we say so oursleves. What is it that makes you wake up every day with a jump start?

Play back singer, song writer, VJ. How did it all start off for you? A lot of it was chance, being in the right place at the right time followed by hard work. I really let things happen and went with the flow. This, of course, is not the advice I would give a young girl. I would say know what you want and make a plan, but don’t be rigid. Keep yourself open to opportunities. When they do arise, take them by the horns and make the most of them. It’s the horse-water thing. You could have the best opportunity anyone can imagine and then screw it up by not making it work in the best possible way for yourself. It’s important to have faith and to give a hundred percent.

These days it’s the Shkabang album. I mean I am eating, breathing and sleeping this album. Every night I lie in bed thinking about all the things I need to do. Every morning I wake up with an okayokayokayletsgo siren in my head. Then of course, some freshly squeezed orange juice..

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

You grew up listening to rock and roll. Made indie pop albums which sold out massively. Now part of many genres of music; one being Electronica. Where does the influence come from? My parents were all about rock and roll. I remember nights jumping around to Led Zep and Jimi Hendrix, my dad brandishing an air guitar (best air guitarist in the country, I’m sure of it), my mom busting out her killer collection of lps and dance moves. Viva fell from the sky in my lap. No one in my extended family even knew that I could sing. I was the kid who played piano. I learnt on the job, started listening to a lot of radio with the girls in Viva. My first introduction to Electronica was in school. I remember listening to Ain’t Talkin Bout Dub by Apollo 440 in a friend’s car (when we had to sneak the car out) and I was like “what the hell is this, I love it!”. I was into Metallica back then so this was crazy new music. The Prodigy was huge too. And then psychedelic music! One fine day I listened to a DJ play some mind bending music on the beach. It was this sub coming out of the ground and this surreal surround sound where I could almost reach out and touch the different layers of audio. I was hooked.

write them down in Hindi or English or sometimes both. You get a general translation of what the song is about, what kind of texture you need to use to sing it, and that’s that. There is always a dedicated person during the recording who corrects your pronunciation. It’s not tough once you get the hang of it. Also, I mostly sing the sexy, husky songs. My brief is almost always ‘sensual, ma’.

We know you’ve played muse to Mikey McCleary’s The Bartender. Musically, how do you guys connect? I love Mikey! He is such a great guy. He knows my voice really well, which makes recording with him a breeze. He’s a lot of fun to hang out with and that makes being both in and out of the studio with him super! He’s very talented and very meticulous. He’s like a one man army. It’s very impressive.

Shkabang, The Petri Dish Project and Agni. All different genres and all with a unique sound. One thing all of them have in common, you. Does it affect you style in the musical sense?

I would change the above to Shkabang, Bollywood and featuring on The Bartender when I’m able. I don’t have a different stage avatar. I’m on it as I am off it although being on stage gives me so much power it’s scary! And with all these projects I am Vishal and Shekhar were judges essentially doing what I do being myself. Musically these are on a show I was hosting as a VJ, different styles but my treatment and rendition depends more where they heard me sing. I was On on what the song needs than what the genre demands. On stage already recording Tamil songs by Vishal-Shekhar I do adopt a more subtle approach for The Bartender, but then. On my way back from one that’s primarily because I’m dressed in a sari or a floor length such recording I got a call from They are very straight cocktail gown. With Shkabang and my Bollywood project them while I was at the airport up about what they want. I wear whatever I want with boots so I can jump around all asking me to sing some lines They’re fun to be around. You over the place. back to them. I did and boom, I can be open and direct with was in the studio. I lucked out them about the music and You have had many stints with reality TV because the song did really well they appreciate you more and it was instant recognition for shows. What drives the adventure in you? for it. me as a singer. The itch to do something new, something different. I love the outdoors, I love adventure sports, I love taking risks, I love You’ve worked with the best physical activity. I’m over being judged, though. I’ve won two of Bollywood music industry. out of the three reality shows I’ve been part of, both as different How is the experience? from each other as chalk and cheese. Quitting while I’m ahead.

You have got into some mainstream Bollywood. How did this happen to you?

The music directors today are a bunch of really cool guys. They don’t have any hang ups and are all pretty straight up. A lot of them come from rock, jazz and blues backgrounds. To add, most of them have a very contemporary way of working. Their sounds are different too. They’re all easy to talk to and work with, in their own ways.

Right from jingles for TV commercials to cinema: You’ve done it all. What keeps you going? Is it just various forms of music or are these industries as different as night and day? I just want to sing and get on stage. I get bored very fast so it’s great that I am able to do all these things. I get to experiment a lot with jingles and voice overs. I can express myself creatively with Shkabang. I can get on stage to killer crowds and bang out my Bollywood songs. These are all different sides of the same coin.

You’ve sung in many languages: Tamil, Telugu and Kannada with no knowledge per se. How and what? Someone will read out the lyrics to you and you will phonetically

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Pyar Impossible got a lot of attention. Tell us something which no one knows about this album.

On Salim-Sulaiman

Well, there’s not much about Salim and Sulaiman have this album that isn’t put known me since I started singing. there. I was perfect for the They did a song (the best one I song I sang. It was almost thought), on Viva’s first album. like it was made for me. I Salim is always pulling my leg! He did the song in two parts. sings himself so he’s quite specific The first was just the about what he wants, so the beginning for a scratch, and direction is great. You know the when I went in to do the exactly what is expected of final, Salim decided that he you. wanted to keep the scratch for the start and have me record the rest. This is not so interesting, is it?! I wish I had something juicy to share but I don’t!

Live sets or studios. The most preferred place. I love being in the studio because it gives me the chance to really experiment in a controlled environment. I can do voices, layers, textures, the works, which is not easy to do on stage. Being on stage though, is what I was meant to do. I could be sleeping, sick, exhausted, or in any kind of situation you can imagine but you put me on stage and I will make it mine. I am most comfortable when I’m up there. No other place in the world makes me feel like this. I’ve had moments where I’ve looked up at the sky between jumping around during a concert close to tears to thank God for blessing me and giving me this. It’s an awe-inspiring feeling.

The Reverrse Polarity album: what are you adding to it? Reverrse Polarity is my brother’s hardcore/progressive metal band which is very close to my heart. I have seen these young boys from the start and I am so proud of them. They’ve have been through so much. From winning Launchpad to not getting what was due to them to losing their incredibly talented drummer in a freak accident to almost disbanding, going through emotional upheaval and then finally getting it together to put their album out. There’s some intelligent music there, with thought-provoking lyrics and ideas. I’m lucky to have sung a few lines on one of their songs.

Shiny objects, boys on bikes and Chinese food. Those are your heard distractions. We’re sure there’s more. Come on, now. Cough it up. Ahahahhahaha! Well. That’s pretty straight up, no? Food is a major distraction. A banging bassline, wit like a whip, a beautiful pair of shoes, a day on the beach, twinkling fairy lights and 3D.

You represent the dreams of thousands of aspiring girls who want to do what you have done. What would you like to tell them? Perfect your craft, whatever it is that you choose to do. I never trained vocally and I feel it every time I go into the studio. Be positive. This looks a bit like one of those inspirational images on instagram, but it means everything to someone starting out. It’s a big bad world out there and there is rejection, dejection, failure. It’s all part of the package. You have to keep your spirit up. It’s the only way to keep moving forward and to not give up. Build a support system. Keep your family and friends you trust close. You feel stronger when you know someone’s got your back. Never take yourself too seriously. It’s a hole you can fall into. Have fun! You live only once.

You spend most of your time in Goa, blending into the local culture. Why Goa? Goa is where my heart is. That is where I feel free. I ride through the little lanes on my bike with the wind in my hair in a post-monsoon Goa. It is so lush and green, it brings tears of joy to your eyes. And I think to myself “is there any other place better than this?” Nope.

On Sachin-Jigar I love working with these boys. They are always open to trying new things and give me all the space and more to experiment with my vocals. We share a love for food, so it’s all about ‘feed me’ when I’m in the studio with them.

On Pritam

Pritam is lovely. He’s gentle and I’ve never heard him raise his voice. He runs a tight ship of people who love him and love working for him. You look at everyone in that studio and they are working round the clock, and happily at that. Recording there is a breeze. I love the coffee there. If its a late night recording ( like 90 percent of mine have been), one cup wakes you up and gets you in the groove.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

You are always fun to be around. What’s the secret? (We have our sources) How lovely is that to hear about yourself! I have a very simple philosophy: always try to be happy. Sh@£ happens to everyone. When you find yourself in such a situation, there is no point whining about why and how you got there. Figure that out once you’re out of that situation. Now that you’re in it think about what you can do to get out of it or make the most of it. It’s all about attitude. A positive attitude makes the world of a difference. I’m not afraid to make a fool of myself and I don’t take myself too seriously. You’ve got to have fun otherwise what’s the point?!

Where do you see yourself 10 years down the lane? I’ve been meaning to make a 10 year plan but haven’t gotten around to it! I want to make music for the rest of my life. I want to get on stage for as long as I can. I want the perfect studio for myself in my house and I want to have mastered production by then. This is all I see in my future.

You’ve become the darling of the Indian fashion industry as well and that’s a difficult thing to pull off. Music and fashion: do they really go hand in hand? That sounds pretty cool, thank you! I think being a musician gives me this license to be really out there with fashion, although even if I wasn’t one I wouldn’t let anything stop me from having fun with my look. Music and fashion draw inspiration from each other often. Have you seen Bowie inspired fashion? Whoa!

Long type answer-eliciting question, this: from Viva to this day, what has it been like for you? It started with a roller coaster ride, and settled into something of a cruise with bumps here and there. When I started I knew nothing about singing. I learned on the job. I had times in the studio where I wanted to cry because I was so conscious about what I was able and more than that, unable to do. I always say that if I knew even half the things I know now back then, I would be in a completely different space. Still, I’m happy how things turned out for me. When viva split I was in a one bedroom pg with a tiny stove and a sink which could take maybe 2 plates and a mug at a time. I was sweeping my ‘house’ myself because it was ridiculous to get a maid to clean such a small space. I knew I couldn’t go back to Delhi. I started writing in this diary that I still have..all my options, what I was good at and what kind of work I could do. I got called in for auditions by channel V two days after that. This is why I believe that when you want something, when you put it out into the universe that you are ready, something comes to you. It was hard after I quit VJ-ing to get back into singing. I had to work hard to gain credibility as an artist. Up until then most people saw me as the product of a plastic, manufactured glam-band. I worked hard though, and I had my family for support. Even then, it’s only in the last two years that I have truly done myself justice an artist, as a musician. I’m more sure of what I want and who I am, more confident. I’m working my ass off and I am hoping it will show in my music.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

On Harris Jayaraj I have had the pleasure of recording with him only once. I wish I could go back. I had to rush back to Bombay so we did it in a bit of a hurry, and I really regret that. I would have loved to have spent more time with him in the studio.

Vijith Quadros

“

I am most comfortable when I’m up there (on stage). No other place in the world makes me feel like this. I’ve had moments where I’ve looked up at the sky between jumping around during a concert close to tears to thank God for blessing me and giving me this. It’s an awe-inspiring feeling.

“

Music and fashion draw inspiration from each other often. Have you seen Bowie inspired fashion? Whoa!

First thing that comes to your mind when we say Bikes: My Enfield. To the charmed boys

Food: Indo-Chinese. Party: Music and dance festival.

Listen to my music, my songs and let me wrap my voice around you. I promise to take you places that you have never imagined.

Shoes: My new neon green high tops. Fun: Dancing for hours to some

banging music.

Drama: Throwing To the ambitious girls Work hard, eat healthy, and be a good person. Even if work doesn’t go in the direction you want it to, you will still have a great life.

On Sandeep Chowta Sandeep was like a big daddy for me, giving me jazz songs to learn and introducing me to a lot of good music. I had the freedom to come in and out of his studio and the time I spent there was a huge learning experience for me.

a sh*t fit in a fight with the boyfriend.

On Amit Trivedi Amit calls me in, gives me the track, the song, sends me home to rehearse and then I come back fully prepped to dub in a few days. I love that about recording with him. You have time to get into the skin of the song and really make it your own.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Star of the month

Apache

Indian

There was a phenomenon which swept us in the 90s. A British-Asian man called Steven Kapur swept the world with his mix of Bhangra and Reggae. We all know him better as Apache Indian. We at had the chance to speak with the legend about his new album “It is what it is”. Read on to know more about the pioneer of bhangramuffin.

Being from Birmingham I do watch football. OH, yes! I support Man United!

Awards are important. It is encouraging. Well, I’m old. But I’m still here and have more experience. It’s like fuel for me to do more work!

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

@ApacheDonRajah Music is a platform to do bigger things as real change will only come from singers & songwriters. Movement!

“

Since I found Indian music uplifting while being Indian myself, I combined that with another form of amazing music called Reggae and people liked it.

“

Coming from Birmingham, the hot bed of Reggae music and Asians, it was almost an easy choice to “become” Apache Indian

“

I don’t have a process to come up with a song. Sometimes, it’s just based on my emotions. Sometimes, it’s happy. Sometimes, it’s sad and sometimes, it’s slow. It all comes from within.

Sai Adithya Let’s go on a rewind trip now. How does Steven Kapur became Apache Indian?

In the middle, you had like a small hiatus. Was that intentional or forced?

I was born in Birmingham, UK. My parents have Indian roots. Being a first generation born Indian-Brit, I had to make sense with the culture, religion, who-you-are and all of that. Reggae was very popular in my place and big bands like UB-40 are from Birmingham. This is where my music started taking that direction. The name Apache Indian was derived by taking “Apache” from the Jamaican DJ Wild Apache’s name and since I was Indian it became “APACHE INDIAN”.

Well, kind of. In India, at least. I’ve done some 5 world tours. Last year, I came back to India with a tour and also did a video with Miss Pooja. With the changing industry, I had to take time and evolve a bit myself.

Tell us about your new album, “It is what it is”.

Absolutely. Along with producing good music, of course. He has to make his presence felt, be active on social media, do a lot more shows and things like that. He has to adapt with the circumstances.

This is a wonderful album! The album was written and produced in the United States along with Jim Beanz of Sunset entertainment group. Jim has worked with names like Shakira, Timbaland, Britney Spears and ShankarEhsan-Loy. The album has artists like Charlie Hype, H. Dhami , Taz of Stereo Nation and Raghav to name a few.

Do you appreciate the current trend of music? It’s good and bad, to tell you the truth. Sometimes it’s a lot of rubbish. In my day, all we had was the radio. If the music was good, it was played. Otherwise, it wasn’t played. It was as simple as that!

Has it become more difficult for a musician to sell his music? It has made a massive, massive difference! We have to work harder to sell it. Now it’s not only about sale of CD’s but we have to go out and perform to balance the act.

We all know Apache Indian has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music like Asha Bhosle, A.R Rahman and Sean Paul. How was it working with them? Which one was your favorite? I LOVED working with Asha Ji. She was part of my childhood and my parents are big big fans of hers! I’ve collaborated with a lot of Jamaican artists as well. The collaboration with Jazzy B was brilliant too. It’s a great position to be in! Working with A.R Rahman for Love Birds (the Tamil film) was amazing too. In retrospect, every collaboration is beautiful in its own way.

@ApacheDonRajah

Talking about evolution: Has the music industry changed the musician? We see he has to a lot of things other than just being a performer.

Can you tell us about the social work you do? I’ve always done a lot of social work from early on. I do a lot of work across the globe and in my home town. I work with schools, colleges, young offenders and I have a TV show where I address issues. I have a name and a position: you have to use your name for the good and create change. You need to make people look up to you as a good role model.

Did your kind of music make you more socially conscious? Reggae and the Indian music have its own beauty. If find Indian music very uplifting and we all know reggae is an uplifting music form too. This plays a great part in my songs about social issues.

What can we expect from you in the future apart from the album release? I’d like to follow the release of my album with a tour. I’m going to be doing some Bollywood. There are people who plan to make a movie on my life!! It might take a year or two to come out. That could be interesting!

What would you like to tell your readers? A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU! I have a big fan base in India and I have almost three generations of fans coming in to my shows in India. Expect more work from me and keep the support coming!!

My last “Filmi venture” was a Telugu song in Devi Sriprasad’s “Iddarammayilatho”. It was tough but it was lot of fun too! It was very popular and that was encouraging!

There weren’t many Asian artists at the time I was breaking in. My music did the talking. People liked it and that was that!

I’m missing the vibez!! Bus some reggae moves for dem star!! Handsworth styleee!!

Being the first Asian to host a BBC Radio One show was a great experience. We did live sessions and I interacted with a lot of musicians from various parts of the world.

@ApacheDonRajah Always a Great feeling when u see ur own Album for the first time! After all that work!!! ‘It is What it is!’ ★IiWiI☆

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

with

Mili Nair

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Q and Q sees an upcoming singer for whom music has always been a constant companion. Meet the vivacious and gentle Mili Nair!

There are so many favorite memories for me. It is pretty difficult to put a finger on one. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of anything right now. So many things!

Music was not a decision: I had not decided that I want to do this and do that. It all just happened and I went along with it.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

A lot of people inspired me. From old musicians to jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald, all of them have inspired me.

3 words best describe me: Foodie (sea food!), Singer and Thinker.

One of the most memorable moments in my life was recording Meethi Boliyaan; it was an amazing experience.

Mahak Rajgarhia Childhood & Family

Current music scenario in India

I was into music since childhood. It was there in my house. Nobody took up music as a profession but I did. I was always associated with it. It has been a constant companion. Every step of what I did has been very significant in my life. If I were supposed to boil it down, I am thankful to every moment that comes in my life. I am thankful for everything that is happening because it is really difficult to single out anyone. It has been unconditional: the support from my family. I mean there has been a lot of love and support. They never asked me anything about why I wanted to pursue music because they have seen me since childhood since I was very proactive so it just went along with the scheme of things. I think my parents knew it that I was going to make a career out of music. As a child I was blessed to be exposed to all kinds of genres. It helps me in contributing to music.

Music I love listening to all genres of music - hindi, classical, western classical. I grew up with rock and pop and I’m performing jazz. Although, I don’t call myself a jazz singer, I’m not qualified enough for that. But I love singing jazz. Every genre I think is an adventure on its own and has a story of its own.

Genres I really can’t say that I don’t like this genre or that genre. Every genre in a way is interrelated and beautiful in its own way. Choosing a favorite genre or a favorite song for me is like choosing a family member. I like every genre, I don’t dislike any genre. If there are concerts of any genre, I would love to go and check it out. It is very important that you expose yourself to all kinds of music especially when it is your profession.

Apart from singing, I write my own music and I try to attend concerts of various artists. I love travelling and do fun stuff.

My first salary was when I was thirteen I think, for a jingle. I don’t remember how much I got but I bought a few clothes out of it

This year has been a very good year. My song Meethi Boliyaan from Kai Po Che has been nominated in two categories - for best debutant and best playback singer in GIMA Awards. This is my first award nomination so I’m very very happy about it! I feel so honored to have an opportunity to work with the great singers and musicians in India. I also had a stint with A R Rahman for Ambikapathy (the Tamil version of the Hindi film Raanjhanaa) .

Working with different music directors and composers Rahman sir and Trivedi sir are musicians who have a great vision in their music. I think I am very different voice. It is not a typical Bollywood style. They really like my style, my voice and they created their music in line. I am very much honored and of course, it has been a pleasure working with them. Also, working with Vinny Valentino was unbelievable. I was very nervous because he is such a brilliant guitarist. And it was at a Jazz festival performing with an international performer. It was an amazing experience. Every moment was an experience. Be it with Rahman, Trivedi or Valentine: each moment is exciting and has a new dimension.

Transition in different languages Each language is a completely different ball game. Being in India, the best thing you can have is the ability to sing in different languages. I have always loved it. I have loved languages. I won’t say the transition is difficult but rather smooth and beautiful. You get to explore different languages. It is I think because I know Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam so it wasn’t alien.

Coke Studio Coke studio was wonderful. That was a first for me on television or any kind of video for that matter! It was lovely to work with musicians from all over the country. We all worked as a unit and it was amazing. The magic that can happen with different people coming in and all! I don’t have

I have no idea who I am following on Twitter because I just joined less than a year back. Though I’m quite sure I am following Rahman sir and Coke studio since I was a part of it.

a bucket list but I believe in living each day to the fullest and as it comes.

My close encounters with wildlife on an African Safari and trying to swim an Olympic size pool in one breathe.

Photo credits: Radha Mohan Rajani The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Furtados Music Store

Bangalore

Furtados Music Store, located in the heart of Koramangala, Bangalore has successfully completed 5 years now. Known for its never ceasing zeal to cater for the needs of music lovers in and around Bangalore, Furtados has witnessed innumerable performances of Musicians, Piano Recitals and Concerts. These have received an overwhelming response from the music lovers across the city. Being a very popular destination for the music lovers across the city for the past 5 years, it also homes the Furtados School of Music. It is provided with qualified faculties and a dedicated staff who are committed to provide the best customer service. We also boast of a wide range of Musical instruments which provide a multiple range of options for the music lovers to own their favorite instruments. Furtados has established itself as one of the leading musical giants in India. We always look forward to carry the legacy it has been associated with and continuously strive hard to promote the musical activities by going the extra mile. Furtados has everything in its store for a musician, irrespective of the music that one plays, listens or is interested to learn about. This 4000 sq. ft. standalone store in Koramangala is proud to declare that it is the only store in India which is the authorized official dealer for the legendary and luxury Grand Piano makers in the world â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Steinways and Sonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and to all other brands which are designed by them, thereby adding another feather to its unconquered crown of legacy. We have upright pianos versions too such as B-Steiner, Pearl River, Ritmuller and Yamaha. This provides a variety of options for piano lovers to own their favorite instrument. In addition, Furtados also homes acoustic pianos, digital pianos from Yamaha, Roland and Casio . These pieces provide the real piano feel and experience by producing some of the best Digital pianos at affordable prices. The store also has the best acoustic and electric guitars designed & manufactured by leading guitar makers in the world like Taylor, Gibson ,PRS,Fender, Ibanez Walden,Hofner and many others.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

The store also houses the best Drum Sets in the world which are designed by Mapex and Pearl with a range of drum accessories as well. Adding to the list of these world class instruments are also other musical instruments like Keyboards, Midi keyboards, Violins, Violas, Cellos, Harmonicas, Electronic Drumkits and many more percussion instruments. Furtados has all the musical needs a musician would like to make a choice for. Be it amplifiers, headsets, speakers, microphones cables and many others. At Furtados, people who love music are always left wondering as to what would be the next big thing. The various concerts and programs frequently organized by Furtados have always proven to be a huge success. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly making the best efforts to promote the interest of the people who love nothing but music. The store at Koramangala is frequently patronized by the international schools, hotels, churches, colleges in Bangalore. An addition to all that is said above, as previously mentioned, the store also has its own music school called Furtados School of Music. Within years the school is already ranked as one of the best Music Schools in the city. The school frequently conducts recitals and concerts by students who study in the school during spring. The School also has its own band which is a combination of itsEducators and Students. Having said all these things about the store in the city of Bangalore, we have no option but to conclude that Furtados store is a one of its kind destination for Music and Education.

Raju Philip Store Manager (Bangalore & Mangalore)

Feel like getting in touch with us? Call us at 080-41104304/05/06 or Drop a line at our website (www.furtadosonline.com)

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Band of the Month

SIFAR Arising out of a fateful collaboration between Amit Yadav and Anshul Bansal in 2008, Amit went on to learn music production professionally and quit his job to pursue music. Before the end of 2010, Sifar had a motley of songs to their name. They also started performing live with Deepak Singh on drums, Nikhil Auluck on guitar and bassist Yapang Lemtur. The year 2011 marked the release of their debut album ‘1’ which met with unprecedented success. Songs like ‘Main Jaoonga’ and ‘Rokona Mujhe’ were instant crowd charming hits. Why the name Sifar? Sifar is an Urdu word which means zero. It can be also interpreted as a perfect circle. To us, Sifar means the never-ending circle of self discovery. That’s what this project is about for us.

If not Rock, the genre would Sifar be into? Synth Pop

Sifar has now occupied a small but comfortable niche for themselves in the Hindi rock scene. In fact, Nitin Malik of Parikrama is quoted saying “I think Sifar is probably one band which has given a glorious fact to the concept of Hindi Rock”. Easy to listen to and easy to connect with – that is Sifar’s winning formula so far. To clarify, though the music is ‘affable’, it is in no way only sunshine and rainbows. Most of their songs are full of darker emotions like angst, heartbreak and loss. Another attraction would be Sifar’s extensive use of artwork along with their music. Most of their music videos of animated and to especially note the art for their album ‘1’ where with every song there was an accompanying image of a man in different stages of falling off a cliff. After their debut in 2011, their 2nd album ‘2’ is set for a midNovember release this year.

Rhyme the phrase Pussy galore: Murge ko le gaya more Quadruplets: Scene hai set Kingpin: Djinn and Tin Tin Drama queen: Baja le been Mister Dates: with Bill Gates Sunken ship: Kha lo chips Nikhil Auluck

the live guitar player

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Shristi Ambani

Affable. That would be the word to describe Sifar’s music in one word. We caught up with the simple-as-an-acoustic-song Amit Yadav (the front man) to talk about their music and the impending album release.

The most obvious question first. Do you think ‘2’ will be an even bigger hit than ‘1’ was? Honestly, I have no idea! 1 was a success for Sifar in many ways we put together an album for the first time! We got a great response from most people who checked it out and made some pretty hard core fans along the way. The whole journey has been a lot of fun. With 2, we have tried some new things and I feel the album sounds different than the last one. Needless to say, I’m pretty happy about that. Whether 2 will be more successful in terms of popularity is something we can only find out post release!

What can we expect to see in ‘2’ that we haven’t seen Sifar do before? I think you won’t see a lot of change in terms of the basic song writing but musically, this sounds like a different album. It’s definitely more upbeat and you will find less of our grunge influences and more of pop-punk and electronic influences.

has become easier because we have a bit of experience now. The creative aspect, however, is still challenging. Writing compelling lyrics and melodies is still as difficult as it was before if not more.

Sifar has always concentrated on strong artwork to support their music. Like the artwork in 1 and even the videos for Shaitan and Chhattis Baar Suna to name two. How do you come up with these? The whole artwork for 1 was by this brilliant artist called J. J. Verhoef. He had created this graphic novel called “Awakening” and I was just blown away by it. I could really relate to it. I contacted him and licensed the cover art from that graphic novel series. With Shaitan and Chhattis Baar Suna, I contacted two different artists that I liked to create something new and specific to the songs. They had to be different artists stylistically because the songs are very different both in their themes and style.

Where did you draw inspiration from to make this album?

Shaitan, the song, was a bundle of angst wrapped up in some very catchy electro-rock. Are we going to see more of electro-rock elements in ‘2’? (Personally, I really hope the answer is a yes!)

As a songwriter, I tend to write about stuff which I’m going through in life. Inspiration for every song on this album comes from real life experiences. This was the case with the last album as well.

Shaitan is going to be part of 2. We released it as a single last year. It’s interesting that when we started recording 2, we were going for a more live sound - and we did that with first few songs which are completely organic. After recording the first 4 tracks, I started laying down some of the more electronic ideas I had and that’s when Shaitan happened. So, you’re going to hear some very organic tracks in this album and then some other tracks which are a lot more electronic. There’s more of electro-rock to come from Sifar in this album.

Is there a chance we might get to see Sifar on tour too?

Does it get easier making music? People usually tend to think the as in the more you do something, the easier it gets. How is it for the band? That’s such an interesting question! Making songs is always a tough thing to do. With the first album, we had different kind of challenges than what we face now. For example, I was just learning music production and there’s a big learning curve to that - most of the processes were to be dealt for the first time. How to get the guitar to sound a particular way or how to get the drums to sound in a certain manner and so on. Now when I’m producing for the second album, I do admit a lot of these things are easier to do. But it’s only the technical process of recording and producing which

I hope so - we don’t have any extensive tour planned as of now but I would definitely love to take a bit of break from producing and recording music and be on stage for some time.

Which Indian bands are you (as a band and individual) a sucker for? My all time favourite Indian band is Colourblind. Too bad they only put out 1 album. Other artists/ bands we like as a band are: Superfuzz, Orange Street, Zero, Them Clones, Papon, Ankur and the Ghalat Family, Euphoria, Silk Route.

The Delhi music scene seems to be exploding with alternative acts like PCRC and Tritha. What influences the taste of the Delhi musicians in general? I think Delhi is not just about Alternative music. You have various kinds of bands doing different music. In fact, I think the whole Sufi music subculture is much stronger here. Music consumption has changed drastically in last 10 years because of the internet and you will find musicians creating music in just about any kind of genre you can think of.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

GENESIS OF

PINK

Genesis Of Pink ( G.o.P) the All Girls Band from Sikkim, had an amazing 10,000 hits in merely three days on Youtube for their single â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ka Bataâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The vocalist of band Mahima Aphcunna Randeep Rai talks to us about the video and what went into making it.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Ajmal Zaheen

10,000 views in 3 days. Do you feel Youtube is a major catalyst in the music industry?

“

We want to bring fresh music to our people and we want to reach out to every single soul that loves music.

The bands consists of: Mahima Apchunna Rai Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist

Dechen Gyurmi Zangmu Lead Guitarist

Annies Pamo Lucksom Bassist

Shrishti Rai Keyboardist

Yes, Youtube has a major role to play in today’s music and video industry. Without the Internet and Youtube, we wouldn’t have been able to reach out to so many people all over the country and the world!

What does it mean? Ka Bata is the Nepali version of A for Apple. It’s the initial part of their studies. Similar to how we started by learning A B C.

The music video for ‘Ka Bata’ shows us happiness through childhood. Describe the experience of making such a video. Looking back at our childhood, we have come a long way. The video really made all of us nostalgic and brought back all the good memories of our childhood. All the games and fun we used to have!

YouTube singles or full fledged albums? We will be releasing now singles on Youtube as of now. But we are working on an album and we hope to release it soon.

Where does G.o.P draw inspiration for the videos made? We draw inspiration for our videos from artists like Nicki Mianj, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Norah Jones, Pink and other such various talented artists.

Being an all female troupe, did G.o.P have to face a lot of obstacles? No, actually. Being an all girls band, we got a lot of support from the people. Especially our loved ones - they loved the idea of an all girls band and gave us their full support. Initially forming the band and looking for girls was a bit of a problem. But after everything just fell into place and that ways we have been very lucky.

G.o.P has been praised for its versatility. What new elements does G.o.P bring to the foray? The fact that this is an all girls band is the newest element in the music scene of Sikkim. We want to bring fresh music to our people and we want to reach out to every single soul that loves music.

What does G.o.P hope to achieve with its music? We hope to communicate with them through our music and songs. We hope to reach out to every individual through our music. Also, we want to fulfill our own dreams and aspirations as budding artists. You know, to make it to the national music scene and then international.

All time favorite song list? I ain’t got you by Alicia Keys, Come away with me by Norah Jones, Run by Leona Lewis, Gotta have you by The Weepies, Someday we’ll know by Mandy Moore, Stay by Rihanna, Just a fool by Christina Aguilera, Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles, Stay in my life by Ester Dean and Kashmir by Led Zeppelin.

G.o.P ‘s music blends traditional rock with Nepali folk music. Do you feel that fusion is the future of the music industry? Yes, we feel that fusion is the future of the music industry. That is because we can see many new artists coming up with remixes of old Nepali folk songs. They add some new RnB or hip hop beats to it. Also, there are many rock bands that are fusing Nepali folk music with modern beats.

What does G.o.P have in store for us? We are hoping to release more videos to which people can relate to and we have more good and soulful and fun and exciting music in store for all of you.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

GEEK Station

This month we look at new products and related information. We are pleased to announce the new Music Synthesizer MX49 and MX61. Here’s a little about the features one can find in these fresh-off-the-block synthesizers.

68,400/-

55,900/-

Product Overview The new MX series combines Motif sounds, USB Audio/MIDI connectivity and advanced DAW/VST controller features at a ground breaking level of affordability.

in.yamaha.com

Over 1000 Sounds from the MOTIF Series The MX series contains more than 1000 Voices derived directly from the world famous Yamaha MOTIF series. From realistic acoustic sounds like piano, electric piano, strings, ethnic and drums to complex 8-element synth sounds, the MX has all of your favorite Motif Voices right at your fingertips. The newly designed category selection makes it easier than ever to find the Voice you need. You can even edit and store your own sounds right onboard.

16-Part Multi Timbral and 128-note Polyphony Each Performance contains not only the three sounds described above, but all the settings for a complete 16-Part Multi setting for play. You can switch between any of the 16 Parts without the sound cutting off. With 128 notes of polyphony, there are plenty of notes to play even the densest sequences from your DAW. These features make the MX the perfect tone generator solution for live performance and live playback of DAW MIDI tracks.

Bi-directional USB Audio/MID Interfacing

VCM Effects MX synthesizers come equipped with VCM effects that simulate vintage effectors at the circuit level. The sounds of the ’70s are brought back to life, through simulating the hard-to-find vintage sounds of equalizer, flanger, phaser and wah effects introduced by the keyboard legends of the era.

Easy Split / Layer Performance Mode for Instant Inspiration Performance Mode on the Motifs has always been the place to find instant inspiration and the MX is no different. You can easily combine two Voices to play on the keyboard using the dedicated Split and Layer buttons (each with their own intelligent arpeggiator), a dedicated Part for a drum track to create evocative Performances that feel like a whole band is playing. The 128 Performances on the MX are all user editable and come programmed with the latest club friendly grooves.

Who’s iT for:

The First professional stage synth: Entry keyboardist who

wants to take Motif sound easily out in live performance.

The MX doesn’t just control software DAWs and VSTs; it’s an audio interface as well. The audio converters on the MX are made for professional music applications so everything on your computer -- even games! -- will sound better when using the MX as the output. The MX interface is bi-directional so you can record the internal sounds of the MX directly to your computer, without ever going to the analog domain, for the highest possible quality.

Complete Analog and Digital Connectivity In addition, the MX has a USB to Device port for storing MX data to external memory and even playing back wave files directly from a USB stick. If you want to add a tablet or an MP3 player to your system, just connect to the AUX input using a mini stereo cable and you are ready to go.

For studio controller:

Non keyboardists such as producer who wants to have studio controller at home but also want to have compact synthesizer to play out in live

As a second keyboard:

Keyboardists who already bought Motif but wanting to have mobile solution to take out Motif sound to put up on the top of other keyboard. The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

EK GARAM CHAI with

Anu Malik The 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was a brilliant phase for Bollywood. It saw the birth of some absolute superstars like the Khans, Akshay Kumar and the Deols. One man was a constant in the ever changing shift of power in Bollywood and he was the man who made the heroes and the heroines dance to his tunes, sometimes he was even their voice. Yes, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about the big daddy of bollywood: Anu Malik. On his daughter Anmol On his love for poetry My father (Sardar Malik, a famous music director in his time) and my uncle were great lovers of poetry. I think I have them to thank for my love for poetry and spontaneity in writing shaayaris.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

She has come up through her own hard work. She is slowly being accepted as a singer and is a talented girl. Her song Nagin Nagin from the film Bajatey Raho is now popular and it makes me real happy!

Sai Adithya

“

I’m proud of the fact that I was quoted as the only composer of my time to never have repeated the same kind of track for any other film.

Born to a well known music director, music was in his genes. It was no surprise to see him reach dizzying heights. Read on to know more about the period of dominance, his love for cricket and more! How does it feel to be back in the spotlight after a double chart buster? (He composed two songs in Sanjay Gupta’s shoot out at Wadala - Bubbly badmash and Aala re) It feels great. I’m glad people responded well to both the songs and how they went on to become super hits. Priyanka Chopra deserves a fair share of cake for Bubbly Badmash. The only thing we had in mind when we composed the song was it shouldn’t be vulgar and should appeal to the family audiences as well as the youngsters out there.

Now that brand Anu Malik has re-launched itself, what next? Two things. Firstly, J.P Dutta (With whom he had super hits like Border, Refugee - for which he won the national award, Loc Kargil and Umrao Jaan) is coming up with Border 2, a sequel. He (J.P Dutta) called me and said “Anu, we are on with Border 2” and that was that. I’m really excited to be working with J.P Saab. Then secondly, I will be working with a big TV channel to compose the opening sound track in collaboration with another music director. Also, my daughter Anmol is singing the song.

You won the national award for Refugee (For the song Panchi Nadiyan). It was special album. All songs were more than 5 minutes. Was that intentional? Talk us through the effort on that album. On Indian Idol I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian Idol journey. The contestants were constantly under pressure. I had the role of lightening up the atmosphere which I did in various ways. It was fun while it lasted. Yes, let’s all hope that you can see me in the forthcoming seasons.

On current day musician and the auto tune culture A lot of small musicians come out. It’s great! But a lot average singers get by with auto tune. It takes the sheen out of proper hard working singers.

On Cricket My love for cricket goes back to my school and college days. I was really excited to see my local team in the IPL. It was brilliant to win the IPL after 5 attempts earlier.

Working with J.P Saab is always special. We share the same wavelength which is always important for the musical success of a film. Moreover, Refugee was launching two of the biggest star kids in the industry: Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. It was on me to make it musically special. Javed Saab gave me the first few lines of Panchi Nadiyaan and I was humming the tune to him. I hummed the tune to them and they were completely bowled over!

Anu Malik is known for composing music quickly! We’ve read that you can deliver an entire album within a day? Well yes, I think that helped directors too. We could finish my side of the work quickly and the director could then get on to his end of the work. I have only the almighty for giving me the power to do this!! I’m also proud of the fact that I was quoted as the only composer of my time to never have repeated the same kind of track for any other film.

Anu Malik the singer! Be it Ek garam chai or Oonchi hai building, they were all super hits. Was it a conscious attempt to be a singer or was it accidental? I’m just happy that I’ve made my own mark. Mithun Chakraborty was the man who made me a singer. When we were composing for Jeete Hai Shaan se, Kishore Kumar saab couldn’t come and by then I had just done a scratch vocal. Mithun Da loved the scratch and so “Julie Julie” was born. (The song ended up becoming a famous number).

You track Chamma Chamma was used in Moulin Rouge and Chunari Chunari was used in Moonsoon wedding. How did it feel when your music got international recognition? Chamma Chamma was used by Baz Luhrmann without permission initially. When I was in San Fransisco I heard this track on the radio. I was pretty peeved and had to get some clarification from Baz. He then apologized and then used it in Moulin Rouge. Chamma Chamma was used in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. It was great to know that all your hard work is being watched.

You have given some really talented singers their big break. What is it you look for in a singer? I’m fortunate to have unearthed some real talents. They all had lovely tonal quality and fit most of my compositions. I’m really happy to have worked with people like Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik and the likes!

His contribution to Indian cinema is unparalleled and we can’t wait to hear more of him now. The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

BENNY GREB in india live

Drumming could as well as be a person the way Benny Greb talks about it. He spoke with us in great detail about drumming, being a clinician and an entertainer in his recent Indian trip.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

If it werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for drumming, what would I do? I would try to become a drummer

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

You once mentioned you “try and make music”. (Reference to context: “It’s really important to me -- even when I’m doing a drum solo, it has to be about the music.”) Do your personal ideas come in the way of making music at times? I said that when asked after a clinic how I structure drum solos. That was about playing drum solos in clinics. I felt it important to point out that I don’t play a drum solo for a clinic audience. In terms of, there are many drummers who may want to see a display of different techniques and different showy, flashy elements. I don’t think about that. My answer was I try to make music, even if it’s a clinic. I look at myself as a clinician and an entertainer and an educator when I speak to the people. I answer questions and I explain what I do. But when I sit behind the drum set, no matter whether it’s in a clinic, or at a concert, or on a studio situation, or anywhere else: when I’m at my instrument, I’m a musician.

People, who’ve see you playing the drums, tell us you make it seem like a grand love affair. How do you connect with that observation? I take it as a compliment and I certainly have a lot of love for this instrument. It’s very close to me. It’s something that -- yeah, something that I love.

How your experience in India and what do you think about the Indian scene? My experience in India was great. It was inspiring to see the students be so passionate and dedicated. I don’t know the Indian scene that well, to be honest. I just know they have a great music culture and a great movie industry. The Bollywood industry is respected. I know a bit about the classical music, but not so much about any pop or jazz stuff that happens there, to be honest.

On brass, (vocal mimicking of brass instruments): I started to play the trumpet actually, before I played the drums. I think that’s the short answer.

On musicians finding their unique style I love If you don’t deliberately work against that, you will have your own style. But what education and what many drummers do is they constantly try to copy and emulate what others do. I think as long as you listen to what you really want and to your aesthetic, you will be unique and have your own style. That’s automatic.

On Indian Music

I love Indian classical music. I was exposed to it the first time from a Tabla player in Germany many years ago. What I was always interested in was the Konnacol, the syllables, the rhythm language that exists in Indian classical music. I always sensed there was a lot of knowledge in there for me to learn about new ways of phrasing and new ways of structuring rhythms, and dealing with subdivision. It’s one of the most, maybe the most advanced branches of music culture in the world today.

Your DVD Language of Drumming has been improving the idea of drumming for a lot of drummers across the globe. What do you say? The DVD was actually a collection of solutions that I found for my own challenges and problems. One of the biggest things was that I didn’t have an overview of what was out there, in terms of rhythms and the building blocks of drumming. I always found it super hard to find a common thread between rudimental exercises, improvisation, timing exercises, independence, and coordination. It seemed like different books, different systems, and different worlds. I’d have to attack them anew and each separately. It was just great for me when I found out, over many years of documenting my practice and writing down my own exercises, that there is a common thread within all of these subjects. The first time you can really have an overview over your progress and what’s still left to do. All these structuring questions get answered immediately. That was just a big turning point in my drumming life. I just did it for myself and did not think about putting a dvd or book out.

How did you come across the magic word “CHID” which is now improving the timing sense for a lot of drummers? The CHID is one of these helpful tools. It’s nothing new that singing a quarter note pulse sound helps you with your time awareness and the way you feel the pulse. What I didn’t like about counting (one, two, three,) for example, is the sounds can be too long to be rhythmically relevant or to measure accuracy. Some drummers’ say a very long “oooooone” with a thousand o’s and than you’re always on time. Another sound that got used a lot was “CHIC” or “CLICK” or something like that. The problem with those sounds is they always have a bit of subdivision, which means either they are shufflish, so triplet feel, terinary feel, or they are in sixteenth or thirty-seconds because of the click, the /k/ sound at the end. The CHID with the silent /d/ is just the first attack and it helps to make an accurate sound that is like a click-track sound with your mouth. That’s the idea behind it.

Tell us how it feels to have your EP Two Day Trio out? It always great when a project finally hits the daylights. What many people don’t realize is that the records that come out now have been sometimes half a year or year in the making, sometimes even more. With the DVD, it was many years in the works. It’s just great to finally see it being released. It’s a very different record, and I’m very proud of it. The Two Day Trio is basically a two-day jam session. No composition, no preconceived melodies. No concept behind it really. It was just in the moment, in the flow, spontaneous interaction and interplay. It was very interesting to see what came out of it and how diverse and how pure this music was with those two great musicians that I played with. I think it’s a very special record and very unique because I took a totally different approach in recording it and going about it.

What about playing jazz and funk do you like so much? I like the groove and the intensity of funk and I like the improvisation of jazz; the way that it flows, the way there is interplay between the instruments. These are two things that are wonderful and that I try to have whatever music I play.

We’d like to thank Srikrishna Natesan of Blind Image for his contribution to this article. The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

In the spirit of the upcoming fests like Nh7 and Mood Indigo, we look at 2 international acts that blew our minds. We are talking about TesseracT and Karnivool. Both these bands are immensely popular locally and not to mention the evident Indian connect. Here’s what we think about their most recent albums and how they influence the Indian rock scene.

Asymmetrically

Altered

Despite Dan Tompkins departure, the technical side of Tesseract has never been better. Altered State truly is a leap forward in terms of progressive metal/ djent. With new vocalist Ash O’Hara, singing the record entirely in clean vocals, the album has a subtle feel that Tompkins rarely displayed, but lacks the solid belting groove that is Tompkins.

Altered State The first single Nocturne, as many of you would know, was released some months before the album. It struck me as intricate and intense but I wasn’t so sure of the mellow vocals. Divided into four parts, conceptually, the album speaks of the phases and stage of human consciousness and psyche. Of matter, Of mind, Of reality and Of energy, describing the natural pattern the soul takes through life from the physical form to the kinetic form. Calibi Yau, my favorite piece on the record, is a lovely mix of djent. With a beautiful sax rising up and over a solid intricate matrix of heavy djent guitar rhythms, this song gives me an essence of what they were going for in terms of sound. It is really reminiscent of Pink Floyd, almost sounding like a modern remake of a medley of songs from dark side of the moon. Exile, too, has essences of a Floydian trip, mixed up with some new-age song structure and O’Hara’s subtle crooning. The divisions of the album help the avid listener get a vibe of what the band was trying to say, through the four stages of the record. The styles of singing give it a very commercial appeal, which, in this case, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Awareness of djent and progressive metal is slowly gaining ground, and this album is a giant leap in that direction, with a lot of audience becoming aware of such music, and smaller bands trying to emulate similar sounds and dynamics. Online verdict believe that they have now opened themselves up to a larger metal demographic with this album too, while still others feel that they have improved, both in terms of composition and production. Personally, I feel the instrumentals are slowly reaching into a very futuristic genre of sound that partially defines modern metal- the kind of sound that incorporates anything from Hendrix to Pat Metheny to Metallica.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Siddharth Venkat When it comes to Karnivool, what made a lot of the band’s ideology for me was their loud, precise pumping sound. Asymmetry is more of a dynamic mix of loud and soft. This is itself is a new zone for the band, but Kenny does a killer job with his vocal lines. However, the drastic change in feel of the band in this album was not anticipated. Considering that the previous 2 albums, Themata and Sound Awake, had a rugged, raw vibe to them.

When I watched Karnivool at Mood Indigo, Mumbai a few years ago, they blew my mind. The tightness of their sound and some brilliant compositions resulted in one hell of an intense gig. Now, with the new album, it’s like they’ve ventured into different and perhaps less effective realms. With a large number of soft, mellow parts, any band would have to work hard not to be monotonous. I feel they don’t do the best job. Granted, it is an amazing progressive rock album, but still, the mellow parts don’t really hit all my right spots. From the opening track Aum, they put you in an exciting seat, with the bass guitar played different, tonally, from the previous albums. Nachash, We Are and The Refusal, the meat of the first part of the album, are an example of the band’s change in style. With parts of the dynamic sounding like it’s off Sound Awake, other parts just suddenly drop and seem to go nowhere. Although the intensity of the sound is evident, some sort of rational pattern and flow is lost. There’s less of a connection to the new Sky Machine than say to Goliath. As we go down to Amusia, and the later part of the album, the pace drops a notch further. It would be the kind of music I’d play whilst reading a peaceful book and not the Karnivool that I’ve heard from previous albums. I am not complaining though. There’s one sweet part in Alpha Omega, where the guitars go on a background drone and Kenny chants over the top, “break the mould and shake the ground, we had it”. However, this is, in the same song, proceeded by quite a monotonous four minutes of quiet underplay. Boring! It’s somewhat soothing that the singer croons on like he’s telling a story, but it just doesn’t do enough to kick you awake until the second part of the song jumps in. I feel the whole album reflects this vibe a little. The band, after two albums, has changed their dynamic, and this new sound might not be the best for them, especially after the ass-kicking that was Sound Awake. Let’s hope their next record is something more different yet. They have visited India twice now and played a few shows, they have quite a considerable local audience.

Coming back to TesseracT, they have already played in Kharagpur and Bangalore. The bar is raised for a good performance to blow away the crowd this time. With Dan Tompkins perpetually playing with SkyHarbor, the new vocalist will have to work hard to please a crowd built up from the sound of the Concealing Fate set. The band will play alongside Irish post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar, who are in a very different league of sound. Thus, similarities will be rooted in other local bands playing, whom TesseracT have influenced far and few between.

Voolian forever.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Indie Reviews The greener pastures are a’calling. This month has seen some big albums coming out. We cover them for you in one clean platform. Off you go:

Motorhead India Tribute

Various artists (Old school Heavy Metal) If you don’t know Motorhead then stop listening to heavy metal, period! I guess I don’t have to give an introduction to the messiah on whom these bunches of primitive warriors are showing their devotion to! This one was a long wait; the excitement had taken place when the teaser just started flowing all over the web. I came to know about the concept of this album long time back and the only thing I was curious to know about was the massive line up. The opening track is by none other than Indian heavy metal Juggernauts Millenium-Iron Fist and it hits you like a mad locomotive! The progression continues with Dying Embrace and Bevar Sea. 1833 could make it much better - according to me, their symphonic black metal sound is just not fitting in a Motorhead tribute album. Sludge messiah Shephard is in their best. What a killer patch they have. Even Lemmy would be proud! Witchgoat, Djinn & Miskantonic and Mortar also have done a perfect job! Solar Deity, I was expecting a lot more from you. All in all, a must to add in your collection if you are a Motorhead fan. Personal picks: Juggernauts, Witchgoat, Djinn & Miskantonic, Shephard & Mortar

Dying Embrace-Deaf Forever, Bevar Sea-Turn your road again, Albatross- God was never on your side,Shephard- Sacrifice.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Sibarshis Dutta

Firdous

Forever in the realm

Coshish has finally released their full length album ‘Firdous’. I heard them a year back and was pretty excited about their full length offering. The band is pretty original and vibrant in their sound. There is an inevitable amount of freshness prevails in their sound. Their lyrical theme varies from losing someone in life to finding salvation. This 10 track album is filled with finely produced smooth tracks which will surely give you nice company in those rainy lone afternoons. There is a riff heavy song titled ‘Mukti’ which ends the serene ride with a bang! This is a quite radio friendly effort though at times, the vocalist starts sounding little cheesy here and there. All in all, go for it!

Stoner Doom is a lesser known sub genre of metal only followed by a dedicated sum of devotees. It mainly deals with issues like witchcraft, evil, ancient fairy tales, ‘bong’ and many other elements which might sound odd to the society we live in. There are a good amount of musicians coming out of Bangalore who have been constantly trying to carry the victorious march of doom ahead. Bangalore based Djinn and Miskantonic is one of the flame throwers. The band has been active for quite a while now and recently, they filled up for a complete line up. ‘Forever in the realm’ is their first ever full length in the doom circuit and it surely hits the doom’s eye or the bull’s eye! They are in tune with the characteristics of doomslow, edgy, down tuned and spiritual. I could hear dreamy bass lines and groovy rusted riffs! Especially in the song ‘Vulcan’s Forge’ where the bass lines do symphony with the vocals! I find them morbidly perfect for the genre but personally I feel their vocalist can improve a lot.

Coshish (Hindi Progressive Rock)

Personal picks: Raastey and Mukti

This 10 track album is filled with finely produced smooth tracks which will surely give you nice company in those rainy lone afternoons.

Djinn and Miskatonic (Stoner Doom Metal)

Personal picks: Vulcan’s Forge and Weird Tales

They are in tune with the characteristics of Doom- slow, edgy, down tuned and spiritual.

Stories Of The Places You’ve Never Been The Family Cheese (Progressive Carnatic -Blue- esque- Rock) I always adore musicians who are experimental in terms of pulling out their original creations. Bands like Rush and Camel had done it way back in 70’s when being experimental was a déjà vu concept with unavailability of good instruments and programming. In India, we have a good amount of budding musicians who have been constantly trying to mix elements of Indian classical music into their music. Motherjane was a big win in this concept! The Family Cheese is a new entry into this forum. They do tend to show a great affinity to the signature sound of the former band as well. They have recently shared their EP of four songs for free download. I did not understand the concept behind leaving it for free download as according to me there is no point of giving your art for free when people Personal picks: hardly realize value these days. These lads are musically very rich but personally I felt their production could have been much better for their The Cheese and UNIR sound. Go give it a try, you won’t regret.

These lads are musically very rich but personally I felt their production could have been much better for their sound.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

FEST FOCUS Svanubhava How is Svanubhava different from a school cultural day and how would you describe the culture of Svanubhava?

The latter half of the year always brings forth such vivid diversity in music: so much so we plan our vacation around it. In September, we had Svanubhava, a cultural movement in celebration of Indian art and to ensure proper exposure of the same to students. In the end of October is The M.A.D Festival that we’re so kicked about. Here’s a bit of the past and the future mashed up. (Dr. Who would be pleased!)

Svanubhava is a festival for students, aimed at exposing them to the various art forms prevalent in our country. So, we have veterans in their respective fields, performing at our festival, and it is thus first and foremost, a learning experience for the audience rather than an exhibition of their respective talents as in the case of a regular school cultural festival. Student participation is in the form of an interactive session after each event. The atmosphere of the festival too, has a unique feel to it. Each event is never just a mere performance. The audience comprises entirely of school students and students of art, and this contributes to a high energy level and a fresh feel to the festival. The questions put to the artists at the end of each session range from technical to something as basic as ‘Won’t a clay pot break if you hit it so hard?’, as was asked to a Ghatam Vidwan a couple of years ago! It’s a great feeling to see all these children so involved in each session, and ultimately, we work toward bringing more and more awareness to the cultural treasure that our country possesses.

Svanubhava has happened in major cities of India as well as places outside of India, such as Jaffna, Sri Lanka. What insight have you gained from these experiences? The fact that a festival like Svanubhava has spread its wings to other parts within and outside the country has asserted firmly that this is a strong cultural movement going global at a rapid pace; one that every individual can associate and relate to. In Jaffna, an audience member stood up to ask, “What vocal technique is best suited for perfecting the upper sthayis? “ She went on to sing a bit of karaharapriya that left the entire hall spellbound, this really made us notice their cultural inclination. The Jaffna edition of Svanubhava witnessed a lot of enthusiastic student volunteers from Jaffna organizing and coordinating with us. What was very different in Jaffna, was that they were not exposed to a lot of cultural fine art events. This pushed them further to make Svanubhava a huge success. The festival is very much on the right track, creating a cultural awareness among the younger generation, thereby initiating globally the need to preserve and uphold the rich cultural heritage of our country.

Photo credits: S. Hariharan 40

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

How do you feel Svanubhava has changed from the first year you conducted it to now? The First year of Svanubhava was purely experimental. Our primary motive was to create a festival to showcase some of the most ancient art forms of the country; our bit to create an awareness. The first edition of the festival was a hit straightaway with a wonderful turn out of students and artists. But over the years, we have showcased a wider range of performing arts, introducing students to a new format of concerts followed by an interactive session with the artists and brief lec-dems. This has assumed a great deal of significance today - from starting off as a festival of arts for students to a cultural movement!

Where do you see Svanubhava 10 years from now? Svanubhava has been moving closer and closer every year in trying to create a sense of ownership and respect for the Indian performing arts among the student community. The participation of students from the local public schools and colleges has increased over the past six years and this is only a promising sign. One of the other things that Svanubhava has been trying to do over the last few years is to involve various student volunteers from different backgrounds to come and be a part of the work we do. For instance we have had students doing Journalism come and write for us and do a bit of the media relations. As a festival, all of us at Svanubhava would love to see it gather momentum across India with a lot of student bodies taking the concept of Svanubhava to their city and making it their own. In ten years it would be a great feeling if students all over feel a sense of ownership towards arts which in turn empowers the idea, Svanubhava being unstoppable. So, we look to expand our base of volunteers with students from other backgrounds contributing in their own way. In some regards this has already started. Svanubhava will continue to make a significant change when students take pride in appreciating the diverse art forms of our country. Our main goal is to reach out to the youth of India, irrespective of their background and give them an experience of the arts, that is their own, That would truly justify the dream that Svanubhava started off with!

The M.A.D Festival is here! This festival revolves around Music, Arts, Dance & the destination is the lush Fernhills Palace, Ooty. We talk to 2 bands from the lineup about what they’re looking forward to in this festival.

Amayama

5 things about MAD that makes you head all the way up Ooty? To collaborate with this beautiful festival and give to the people our art. To feel the Magic of India. To meet new people. To feel other artist and there music. And for Love.

What are your plans at MAD when not on stage? Share with everybody happiness or anything that flows.

Who are you looking forward to hearing the most from the line up? Prem Joshua and his band.

Which is the one international artist you think would totally rock this set-up? Amayama, for sure!

5 things about MAD that makes you head all the way up Ooty?

Bevar Sea

It looks like a laidback festival, and we play the laidback kind of loud rock. - Bangalore is too hot, and we need the change in scenery. - We’re used to playing to the metal crowd, so we’re looking forward to converting some of the others at a festival like this into being Bevar Sea fans. - We have killer light and sound production planned for our upcoming gigs, and MAD is going to see it in full force.

What are your plans at MAD when not on stage? Enjoy the weekend. Hang out with friends. Borrow some hair straighteners from Camp G. Or steal.

Who are you looking forward to hearing the most from the line up? Shobana rules. Also our metal bros Inner Sanctum. The Vinyl Records, because we like vinyl records and girls. They’re also influenced by the B-52s who’re a fantastic band. Let’s do this!

Which is the one international artist you think would totally rock this set-up? There are international bands? We really need to look at the line-up again, and pay attention this time around.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

#ScoreNight EVERY FRIDAY!

only at BAK BAK BAR (Bangalore) HAVAVA, the club (Chennai)

EVENTS Galore

For more bleh, blah, boo on gigs and all things sound bound: knock on skore.in. We’re watching you.

This month’s gigs all consolidated into two pages of awesome!

Agam Agam’s music encapsulates the boundless, vibrant emotions of the human psyche. That is exactly what happened this #ScoreNight, Bangalore. .

Incarcerated The band consists of Melvin as the Vocalist, Mang on the Guitars/Vocals, Prassanna on drums and percussion and Arun Jaqops as the bass guitarist. Though the band members all work in different fields and organizations, their passion for blues music was what brought them together.

The

Score Magazine

www.highonscore.com

Project Yuj This #ScoreNight, Chennai was really special with the indomitable Project Yuj. This band took on the very definition of Neo - Carnatic Funk. The band consists of Prakash Hariharan on the mandolin, Aalaap Raju on the bass and Jeoraj George on drums with Leon James as the keyboardist.

Parvaaz The Bangalore-based band is known for their groovy renditions in Urdu and Kashmiri. The band comprises of Khalid Ahmed on vocals/guitars/lyrics, Kashif Iqbal on lead guitar/vocals/various instruments/ lyrics and Fidel Dsouza on bass with Sachin Banandur on drums & percussion.

Modern Mafia These guys had amazing gig with Chennai based favorites The F16’s at the new Hard Rock Café, Andheri. Modern Mafia consists of Varun Das, Ishaan Krishna and Karun Kannampilly with Krehl Gonsalves while The F 16’s is made of Josh, Shank, Vikram, Harshan and Booby.

Live Banned Photo credits: Uday Shanker Suresh Raj Boopathi Raj Bhagath Kumar Jack

For those who craved the spot between good music and doing something banned: The Live Banned show did it all at this #ScoreNight, Chennai. The band consists of Amrit Rao on Vocals, Sridhar Varadarajan on Guitars, Siddhart Kamath on Keyboard and Dheerendra Doss on Drums with Raveesh Tirkey on Bass. The

Score Magazine