#it is my urge. my nature. i want to put every vocal synth into a shitty plain t shirt <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[bmpmp3]

nyl......... nyl my good friend nyl...........

[jamiepaige]

Constant Companions Closeup #1: DYAD

(also on spotify!)

Hello everyone!! It's been a couple weeks and change since Constant Companions, my newest album, was released unto the world, and I've been genuinely blown away by the response. Genuinely, thank you to everyone who's been streaming, commenting, making mashups, changing their pfps and usernames - it means the world to me!

I wanted to give some of that love back with something people have been asking me a lot about - and, admittedly, something I love doing. Song explanations! Deep dives! Dropping the lore! Welcome... to the Constant Companions Closeups...

For the next eleven days, I'll be going into each track one by one and babbling about the process, inspiration, details, feelings, and thoughts behind each one! We're getting sappy. We're bearing our hearts. We're telling unfunny jokes. And we're starting with track one - DYAD (featuring unit.0)!

---

Naturally, since this is the first track, it also serves as a great point to talk about my intention with this album as a whole!

I'll elaborate more on this with future tracks, but to me, there are really two main things that define the sonic progression of this album versus my previous work - guitars and vocal synths. Obviously, these things have been present in my work since I first started calling myself Jamie Paige, but Constant Companions is intended to be my overwrought, sappy confession of love to these two things that time and time again have made me simply want to make music. I love rock and I love Hatsune Miku dammit!!!

I had originally written this song in February of 2023 for a game-jam-esque online festival hosted by my friend Loni called HAPPY PARTY TRI, and at that time, I had found myself at a major crossroads. I had put out People Posture Play Pretend and :women_wrestling: the previous year, and while the response was nice, I was feeling listless and lost.

I love singing. I like my voice well enough. I certainly love writing music with lyrics!! But... there was something uniquely electrifying about using vocal synths. Amidst a lot of insecurity and emotional turmoil surrounding the process of making art and putting myself out into the world, it was one of the few things that just made everything feel right. Suddenly, I was making the same kind of music that had touched my heart so many times over.

Would it alienate people, though? Would I lose longtime listeners? Yes, that weighed on my mind more than I'd like to admit, but even more than that... I was worried I'd lose some part of myself, as silly as it sounds. Maybe what I thought was a bridge would become a barrier, and the messages I wanted to send across the gap would never find their way.

Ultimately, I felt that Dyad was the only kind of opener I could've possibly given this album, and a perfect fit for the album's motif. A dialogue between myself, stricken with loneliness and a lack of inertia running in circles, and that synthesized voice (ANRI Arcane my darling), grabbing the outstretched hand and asking a question I already know the answer to -

"Baby, do you know what you wanna hear?"

Yes, it's a love song, but it's not just for a person - it's a love song for the creative impulse, and for the places I wanted it to take me.

im resisting the urge to be jokingly dismissive of myself to diffuse tension but i still need to signal that the emotionally bare part of this is over so pretend im doing a funny little dance Anyways let's talk more technical stuff

---

Like many of my songs, Dyad came together from a patchwork of different snippets and ideas I had laying around. The back half of the chorus - "dream together, we can dream together" - originally came from this idea I had jotted down something like 9 months prior, but ended up being a perfect fit for Dyad in basically every way. The verse snippet that I'd written to go with it got reused for a later song on Constant Companions as well! (I say without naming it, as if it isn't literally lifted wholesale from this demo and thus incredibly obvious)

I wasn't originally planning on brazenly quoting the bridge of a Tally Hall song when I set out to write this song, but while toying around with a bridge idea involving a shortened version of the pre-chorus melody, I realized I had inadvertently copied it anyways. I was going to scrap it... but at the request of my dear friend and certified Tally Hall lover Marcy Nabors, I made it an explicit reference. Which I'm fine with, personally! The first CD I ever owned was a copy of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum my sister bought me all the way back in 2006 - You can pry that sentimental attachment from my cold, dead hands, TikTok kiddies.

Lastly - not really behind the scenes so much as just a shoutout - thank you to unit.0 for the lovely lead guitar work on this song!! He's been a beloved collaborator of mine for many, many years now, and one of the people who ultimately convinced me this direction was the right one to go in, so it means a lot to share this song with him. Go listen to his music!!! Now!!!!!!

That's about it for this song! Not to sound like a fucking YouTuber, but genuinely, if there are any details you'd like to hear more about, let me know and I might made a bonus post at the end of all this. Otherwise, thank you for listening! Tomorrow: Not Quite There, featuring telebasher!

❤️💚

[shemakesmusic-uk]

INTERVIEW: Sea Change.

Norwegian electronic artist Sea Change has announced her new album INSIDE is set for release Nov 15. The first two singles from the record ‘STEPPING OUT’ and ‘FLOWN’ are streaming online now.

2015’s Breakage LP, the debut album from Sea Change, felt drenched in Nordic atmosphere, that somewhat implacable magic found in so much of the region’s music. Veining its way through the record in ways both bold and beautiful, it produced shimmering pop soundscapes that felt full of natural life and adventure. INSIDE, Sea Change’s brand new album, set to be released in November, is an altogether different beast.

Just as the landscape that surrounded her debut album had such a profound effect on the finished piece, so to does it do so here, only this time the environment is significantly altered. Gone are the bright and wide open spaces of its predecessor, swapped for the dark, mysterious, often claustrophobic realms of the city and the underground spaces that offer dark illumination for the abstract fringes of society.

We had a chat with Ellen Sunde all about INSIDE, her struggles in the music industry, dream collaborations and more. Read the interview below.

Hi Ellen! How are you? What have you been up to since your debut album Breakage came out?

“I’ve been traveling, shapeshifting and trying out new things. I lived in L.A for 8-9 months, and then I moved to Berlin. I went through a phase where I was gonna stop doing music, but after a while I came to my senses.” You recently returned with your latest singles 'Stepping Out' and 'Flown'. Where did you draw your inspiration from for these tracks? “‘Stepping Out’ came from a urge to transform into something else. If I could cut myself lose from the human constrains and responsibilities like making a living, or how to deal with other people or the pressure to make good choices, but to just be, follow your instincts like an animal. I was aiming for something hypnotizing and mediative, chopping up my vocals to make that intense rhythm of the track. “‘Flown’ is an urge to break free from the past, letting go of it and walking further into something new. I realised that my identity has so much to do with what I do, who would I be if I stopped doing music? And within that thought it lies something universal, how much we need others and the things around us to define ourselves. It's also a need to break free from other expectations and letting go of the past, keep walking further. I wanted the track to slowly build up and to have a proper release in the end.” 'Stepping Out' and 'Flown' are taken from your upcoming new album INSIDE. What can you tell us about the record? And how does it compare with Breakage? How has your sound evolved? “The record is very personal and intimate. It touches on topics of body, transformation and intimacy, and is definitely inspired by club music and the club scene, which also has a very intimate yet visceral side. The record is filled with ambiguity because I worked very intuitively with it. The sound is a natural evolvement combined with my amazing co-producer that helped me lift the tracks up to their potential. “Breakage was different because many of the songs from that record I played live a couple of years before I started recorded them, which made the tracks evolve over time, for good and bad. In the end I had to rush to get that record done, which made some of the songs on Breakage a little longer and not so album friendly as they could have been. INSIDE is made very intuitively but its also very thought out and I think its bolder and more direct, and that's also the reason it’s quite short. “The first record was almost purely made of soft synths and general MIDI from Ableton Live, which looking back to it is a quite cool dogmatic concept. But at that time I did it because that was what I had. This time I worked with some analog synthesizers and drum machines for the first time which made the creative process a little bit different. “On Breakage I experimented with writing proper radio friendly pop songs. Because I wanted to see if I was able to do that while still keeping my integrity intact. Which was really fun to do. This time around I knew I wanted to to take a left step and try something else. I always wanted this record to be more experimental, bold and personal and it’s me inviting the listener inside this world.” What was your favourite part recording INSIDE? Did you learn anything new during the creative process this time around? “I knew early that I wanted to work with a co-producer for this record, which for me was a way of challenging myself. I’m used to doing most of the production myself. However I really wanted to take this record to the next level, and I needed to go out of my comfort zone and to get a second opinion. And for me it was amazing to work with BAYA/Andrew Murray because he also works very intuitively. In studio he was always trying to push the boundaries, asking questions and searching for something new. It was challenging and pretty intense. One of my favorite parts was to work with him in studio daytime and then walk around in Oslo and listen to the mixes in the weekends. “I also learned that writing from an intellectual point of view does not work for me. I need to work intuitively, thats when I’m able to get to the core of what i need to express. When I overthink or intellectualize over lyrics or themes like I tried in the start, the music sounds forced and dishonest.”

Were there any other songs written during this period that didn’t make it onto the album, and if so, will you revisit them again in the future? “Theres many songs I wrote that was planned to go on this record, but didn’t make the cut. I tried many different things cos I really felt the need to do something different. I had this obsession with Drake for a while and I even made a trap song lol. Didn’t make the cut. I wrote a lot of songs, and made even more sketches. But in the end the songs that made the cut told the story I wanted to say, so I chose to go for a shorter album. I might want to revisit some of the songs, but most likely not, I usually like to make new things for each album and rather perform some of the unreleased songs live.” What do you hope fans will take away from your new music? “I hope they will feel something. Thats the most important thing. I hope they can recognize something of themselves in it and connect to it on a personal level. It’s a personal record and I really think that the more particular you get, the more universal it can be. I hope its a record that can intrigue you so you want to put it on again over and over, cos it brings out something new each time. “I think it’s a record thats easiest to listen to by yourself, alone on the subway or on the bus on your headphones.” What struggles, if any, have you faced as an artist in the music business and how have you overcome them? “I think my struggle is mostly the insecurities in being a musician and a solo artist. I constantly need verbal support or a boost from someone else to not fall into a hole of self doubt and insecurity. The longer you wait to release something, the harder it is. For me it really helps playing shows every now and then to get a little ego boost, and to talk with other artist or musicians that are in the same boat. It can be incredible lonely to be a solo artist, even if you might have a team around your or you travel with bandmates. Releasing music is super vulnerable and scary, and when you do it by yourself its even more scary. So to meet up with likeminded people to talk about these challenges is a life saver and I would recommend it everyone who’s a solo artist.” If there was one thing you could change about the music world today, what would it be?

“I wish there were more female producers and mixers. I see theres more and more women doing production not only for themselves but also for others, but theres still so few! I think the world needs a female perspective from this side, and I would love working with more female producers, and musicians.  And I wish that you didn’t have to constantly update your social media to be a functioning musician. Social media is great to use to connect to other artist and your fans, but it can very easily be a stress factor.” Which artists/bands are you listening to right now? Is there anyone you would love to collaborate with? “The last months I’ve been listening a lot to one song of Peder Mannerfelt - ‘Lucid in the Sky’- I’m totally addicted to that song. I'm also a huge fan of Smerz. I love their minimalism, its genius. I listen to Jenny Hvals latest record every day. And I recently discovered Nkisi, Rrose and Joy Orbison whom I listen to a lot. The last weeks I’ve also had a little revisit of Alice Coltrane. I love listening to her on the night bus or the subway on my headphones after a long day.” Finally, what else is next for Sea Change? Any shows to support INSIDE? Any non-musical goals? “I’m gonna have a couple of release shows in Oslo, Berlin and in London, but I can’t give you any more details right now. I also plan to play more shows in the UK. I will go on a small tour in Germany in January. And I hope to do some more DJ-ing. But my main goal is to make a new record cos I really want to release a new one soon.”

Photo credit: Fotini Chora

[6onmyshoulder]

wroteuplikethis*

Having watched countless concert compilations on youtube, and having been to The Weeknd’s concert when he touched down in Singapore, I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to hip hop, there is a slight(and I use this carefully) disconnect in the hip hop concert culture, as compared to the crowd’s energy and hype in the US/UK/Canada/Holland etc. The recent A$AP Rocky performance at Marquee seemed to be a testament to that, as the crowd only seemed to know two songs Rocky performed, one of which wasn’t even his own song to begin with...goddamn ‘Plain Jane’.

Some of the performances that have stood out in those compilations have been Playboi Carti’s performances, whenever and wherever.

(Now, I just want to add a disclaimer that I’m not dissing Singapore’s concert crowds. And that I would love to have had the opportunity to fly over and catch my favourite artists live. But my bank account doesn’t let me, which pretty much sucks...)

Carti’s performances seem like the place where you’d...die...lit h a h a. He’s barely singing along to his own song, and seems to spend a large majority of his stage presence hyping the crowd up and screaming 10 of his 1026 ad-libs at any given point. The crowd vibes along, going completely ape-shit.

It’s raw. It’s animalistic. It’s loud. It’s in your face. It’s wild. The fact that Carti fans sing along to his snippets at concerts is amazing to me. A 30 second snippet completely changes the mood of the crowd, sending them into a frenzy, as evidenced by the countless concert recordings of Carti performing ‘Cancun’.

It’s in this raw energetic sphere that Carti absolutely thrives in. And that’s exactly where Carti’ sophomore release, ‘Die Lit’, exists.

‘Die Lit’ has also become kind of a comfort album. I was on a bus at night a while ago, and as usual, I felt this overwhelming urge to listen to ‘So Far Gone’ or ‘Take Care’(2 Drake albums notorious for putting one in their feels). As my thumb hovered over the ‘Drake’ artist arrow, something shifted and I found myself playing ‘Die Lit’. Granted, I was initially feeling kinda sad(what’s new), but ‘Die Lit’ weirdly put me at ease with my emotions. I didn’t think, I didn’t reflect and I didn’t feel, as I’d usually do with those two Drake albums(or other sadboi albums). ‘Die Lit’ allowed me to sink into the beats and Carti’s repetitive hooks that were catchy and easy to listen to.

The album art features a black and white photo of Carti jumping into a mosh pit while flipping people off and it serves as a perfect metaphor for what the album is about. The picture looks brash, unadulterated, insane, chaotic and yet, weirdly poetic, and the album itself, sonically, captures all those.

Die Lit opens with ‘Long Time - Intro’ with Carti talking about how he hasn’t ‘felt like this in a long time,’ while repeatedly ad-libbing in the background(pss, slatt, ooh, pow, pa, yeah). Some really nice synths on the instrumental that sound organic. Carti saying ‘I’d rather get caught with it than without it,’ is the highlight of the track. A fun track that serves as a nice opener to an enjoyable album.

I don’t know how many of you have watched ‘The Matrix: Reloaded’(reloaded is the second movie and it’s trash, so is revelations. only the first movie is fire and worth the watch.) but there’s this underground rave scene where people absolutely lose their minds and party like there’s no tomorrow(i mean they have to seeing as they’re living in a technologically dystopic world). The second track off ‘Die Lit’, ‘R.I.P.’, sounds like it could have been the perfect song to accompany this particular scene. If organised chaos was a song, it would be R.I.P......stripped back production, a slightly overblown bass that has a weird metallic quality to it and Carti’s flow over such a simple instrumental creates such an intense atmosphere, a chaotic one. At certain points, the song is literally just the bass line, one synth and ad-libs, and it somehow, fits into the whole ‘organised chaos’ idea. ‘I’m on demo lit, I’m on migo lit,’ raps Carti. He fits into the track perfectly, and finds the perfect gaps to spit his ad-libs. Him saying that he ‘bought a crib for momma, off that mumbling shit’ begets a sense of awareness of exactly what he brings to the table lyrically.

‘Lean 4 Real’ feels like a mellower ‘R.I.P.’. Slower but just as stripped back, the instrumental has an animalistic quality to it, probably because of the weird background synth that makes it sound like it was recorded in a forest at midnight. Skepta comes in with a reliable verse, countering Carti’s chaotic nature and giving the listener a sense of uniformity with his verse. Carti hops back on and re-hypnotises the listener by repeating ‘I’m on the beans 4 real, i’m on the lean 4 real.’ Simple in its execution, insanely good in its presentation.

Old Money picks up where Lean 4 Real left off, with Carti repeating ‘old money, new hoes,’ then throwing a bunch of ad-libs around, peppering the song with a few more simple rap lines. The bass kicks in with a vengeance through out the song, and Carti’s effortlessness is just put on display for one to enjoy.

Love Hurts(lmao) comes in with a jarringly metallic synth and a hypnotic bass line that just seems into every nook and cranny of your mind, creating a very dark and slightly hellish soundscape. This track genuinely gave me Stockholm Syndrome, as I found myself listening to this insanely jarring song on repeat. ‘Shawty want a rockstarrrrr okay!’ sings Carti, while Travis Scott comes in with a pretty good verse, encapsulating all that’s good with the entire track. His delivery fits the mood of the track perfectly, and the auto tune blends in gorgeously with the grungy vibe of the track.

Lil Uzi Vert and Carti can’t do anything wrong together and in the wake of wokeuplikethis* and left, right, Shoota becomes another song that strengthens their power couple status. Uzi flows on the track even before the beat drops, and once it does drop, Carti picks up where Uzi leaves it on this bouncy and slightly happier sounding track, with the shimmering synth creating an upbeat vibe.

Right Now and Poke It Out are pretty fun to listen to. Bouncy production, Carti’s effortless flows and Pierre’s and Nicki’s features are decent(Pierre’s is actually pretty good not gna lie...would write more but I really just wna focus on my faves).

I like Home(KOD) enough and it’s mainly cause Carti says ‘bring that money home, daddy waiting for it’ over and over and over again...

Fell In Luv’s production is something else man. Really simple lyrics from Carti(i mean did you really expect anything else?). Pierre’s production throughout the album has been special and Fell In Luv is no exception. The vocal sample is such a minor aspect of the song but adds so much character to the beat, and Bryson Tiller’s lofi feature(sounds like he recorded it on his iPhone) actually adds to the aesthetic of the track.

Foreign and Pull Up are pretty decent tracks. Not really my faves and felt a bit ‘filler-ish’.

Mileage has one of the funniest choruses I’ve heard in a while. ‘Molly cyrus, catching bodies, don’t care if your pussy got some mileage mileage....’ Carti dismantling the idea of slut-shaming in one line that’s who I stan uno. Chief Keef’s deeper voice lends a certain gravitas to what feels like a ‘higher pitched’ track cause of Carti’s voice and the production of the beat.

Flatbed Freestyle gives us a good look at baby voice Carti. The beat’s high synth and repeated bass create a repetitiveness that’s unrivalled by the other beats, and Carti literally starts of with ‘BUH BUH BUH BUH BUH BUH’. The beat and Carti compliment each other insanely well, and the track actually ends up being one of the most fun tracks on the entire album. ‘Beeh!’ is my favourite ad-lib after ‘Buh!’ on here. Baby Voice Carti really shines through on this track. He doesn’t sound annoying and doesn’t sound cringe. The Baby Voice is actually...here to save hip hop....

No Time is such an underrated track. Feels like a trap nursery rhyme instrumental, and the sleepy and shimmery xylophone type synth creates an innocent atmosphere as Carti sings about having ‘no time’. Gunna flows over the instrumental like he was born into it. He’s smooth and charismatic, and is perfectly positioned between two Carti verses, forming the perfect palate cleanser within the same song. Definitely one of the better beats on an album already stacked with excellent beats.

I honestly skip middle of the summer...don’t really fuck with it...

Choppa Won’t Miss is an absolute bop in terms of production, and Carti going ‘pew pew pew pew’ in the back is TO DIE FOR. I also just want to ask if anyone can explain the line ‘suck on my dick like a tick’ to me. Thug is pretty good as usual. Flows in and around the beat mans a fucking GOD among men.

R.I.P. Fredo interpolates the R.I.P. beat and sounds amazing sonically. Top is...decent I guess.

Carti created something timeless and fun by sticking to what he knew. Insane production from Pierre and an insane beat selection helped Carti create one of the better albums of 2018(okay i will not play into the 2018 aoty meme).

An album that I enjoyed vastly in 2018, and am still enjoying in 2019, it has snuck into my all time favourite albums list. Carti worked to his strengths and the reception the album received is testament to that. While Playboi Carti may not be for everyone, and especially not for hip hop purists, the effortlessness and simplicity create amazing soundscapes within and across songs. Carti is definitely an acquired taste, and I’m really glad I got into his music.

*^!

[santanuborgohain]

Confabulation with a half-written poem.

“Life without art is just-eh!”  You might have heard this line every now and then. Or perhaps, you might have seldom wondered ‘what it would have been had there been no such thing called art’ when you supposed to think of sitting alone in a cozy evening grabbing the steaming hot mug of tea, gazing at the twinkling stars.

 Once in a blue moon we listen to a wonderful song, watch an incredibly beautiful movie, or behold an enigmatic painting which tries to make us feel connected, rejuvenates us giving us an enormous joy that we can’t find anywhere else but in the elements so mixed in the art itself. Fortunately enough, I met a person who is so close to art, music and the pursuit of life.

Alakesh Dutta, a passionate singer, songwriter, composer and musician who lives the life of a minimalist, puts forward an incredibly hypnotic impact on the receivers through his unadulterated, experimental music in the sweetest form of delight.

One fine summer day of June we made a pilgrimage to the Indian International Center (IIC) as invited audience to behold the paintings in an art exhibition which was organized in the collaboration of Slovakian embassy and the joint venture of different artists and activists across the globe.

It was one of those mere occasions to get engage in banter with someone you get emotionally welled up listening to. It was a pleasant afternoon and there was a lot of catching up to do. Owing to our brewing curiosity he welcomed us and showed the very different paintings that had been hung on the walls for the ongoing exhibition. Not even wasting a single moment idly, we began to have a table talk.

Upon asking how he would like to define himself he said, “It is not so easy for me to define myself. But one thing is for sure that I always like to live in my own world where I have a castle of my own: where I use to treasure my words, tunes and my emotions.

I like many things as any random guy does. Especially, books, guitar, boots, old castles of Europe, horses, knives and so on. I am a nature addict, you can say. I love hills, sea and the eternal music within. I would love to live like a knight! I really like that old Era.”

“I had a radio when I was a kid.” He continued while being asked to tell about his early days; his journey into the music. “I always tune into some strange channels where some unreadable music in strange languages was broadcast, albeit those were not strange but I just simply didn’t understand the language. Eventually I started loving those tunes so much that sometimes I used to listen to them through the whole night. Those were the tunes which pulled me to hit a note.”  

“I read, in my earlier days, story books a lot and various poems as well. They were my best friends and they are still like it used to be years before. Okay, here you can see the dots getting connected: I use to find myself in those strange tunes and in those story-books from my childhood which showed me the way to dream about something amazing, taught me to listen to the howling wolves and to count the stars while singing in the moonbeam.”

What propelled you to become a musician? That was one of those typically asked questioned, which every artist might have gone through being asked to him or her. “From my early age I liked music.” He answered. 

“I discovered my first guitar in the garage of my cousin. It’s a magic guitar. I have composed many of my compositions like- Rajpath, Picadeli park on that guitar only. I started to strum it and tried to compose some tunes. One day I received a Philips walkman from my father and then it became an inevitable part of my day to day life. I used to start listening to many legendary rock bands and some of them I really loved. I guess all these were started whispering in my ear, making a buzz and they had raised an urge in me, telling me to sing out my thoughts and emotions and let the world know what I feel and think about.”

I was fascinated and was headily curious to know the back story behind the birth of their band: ‘Papyrus Rain Of Heart’. In 2010 they won 1st position in North- East folk-rock competition called ‘Pulse’ held in North Guwahati, organized by News Live. Their  first live show was in World Music day organized by Aucto Creation. 

“We are always thankful to Rana da, owner of Aucto Creation who gave us a great start off in such a great show.” He said. “It was a rainy evening of 2009.The hills of my town were now playing hide & seek with the drizzle. We three: Mrinal Rabha (bass+vocal), Jitul Das (lead guitar) and me, were chatting around by having tea and samosas. Fifteen minutes prior to this we were strumming our guitars. There was load-shedding. In candle-light we were discussing about the future possibilities of continuing such music which we would really like to do and I think It was the beginning of “Papyrus Rain Of Heart”.

“Our band members are- MrinalRabha (bass+vocal), SurajRabha(lead guitars), Kangkan Rabha (lead Guitars) and me (rhythm guitars and vocal). Previously we had  Naba Roy (drums), Bhuchan Pathak (piano, synth.), Jitul Das (lead guitar) and Prandeep Das(backing vocals/percussion) Sometime we use to collaborate with our previous band members.”

Alakesh Dutta is also a founder member of an NGO called ‘Picasso Pupils’ which is registered in NE India and in Slovakia, Europe. They have been organizing International art residency since 2016 in Meghalaya, NE India and lately in the month August 2018 they have organized an International art symposium in Slovakia. Since 2016 they’ve been doing some shows (solo and or with other Professional musicians) in Europe. Recently, on August 2018 he and Jana Bednarova, MVA, the Founder of PPIAC, SK and a professional painter from Slovakia have organized an International art symposium in Slovakia. Since 2016 he has been doing some shows in Europe, sometimes solo and otherwise collaborating with the other native musician.

What, according to you, music is? How does it come to you?

“According to me, music is the most precious gift from nature. Sound of Rain, thunderstorms, blowing wind, sound of a stream, call of birds, roar of a sea all these are the finest form of music. That’s why when we walk through a forest, or watch the rain down pouring through the window, we spontaneously whistle or sing a tune.

In this new world technology is undeniably important for music. To record a musical creation- it may be a song or an instrumental piece of music, we need to go to a recording studio, similarly in live shows we have to use technology. But we shouldn’t forget the difference between the technology and music. Someone, with costly gears or computer or a MIDI synth., may not be a composer, musician or an arranger. A software and a laptop can’t create music itself and I think it’s the high time to realize it!

An amazing song, beautiful poem or lyrics, a heavenly tune, always comes from a person’s own feelings, emotions, dewy memories of life which s/he has walked through, and technologies like amplifier, microphones, mixing consoles, software etc, doesn’t have any one of those. For me music is my confidence, my courage and obviously an addiction which helps me to imagine anything from a creative point of view. Music is the only universal language that can transmit and be received from one soul to another.”

He has a few masterpieces: the rendition of some of them are soothing, profound and a few are remarkably great that can make your hair stand on end.  ‘Rajpothe di jetiya roja jai’, ‘Ei nodi nirabadhi’, ‘Kola akax’, ‘Picadily park’ etc are the cherries on the cake.

“I write the lyrics of my compositions from my personal experiences and fantasy. Some of my compositions are based on social issues, spirituality and some are based on romantic fantasy.” He said when asked about the concept, lyrics, compositions and the poetry lying within all these creations.

“I always like to focus the depth of a traditional folk piece of music which I blend in most of my compositions. In case of some of my compositions like Rajpath, you can hear the vital space of Rabha-traditional folk tune, notes and vocal approach in the entire song. The lyrics of the song is based on some social issue just like my another compositions like- Kola Akax, Eiya janu bhal manuh, Blood on the street, Jiwon jodi hoi kagozor note etc. On the other hand song like Picadily park, Ei nodi etc are the imaginary romantic compositions.”

Blending, locomotive and the variation in western folk-rock culture and especially in ours?

“Blending of a folk content in a composition is not an easy task if you want to do it in a meaningful way. The entire vibe of that particular composition and the folk content should be perfectly connected if you want an effective result.

Though the cultural habit or practices are different in western countries, but at the end of the day human emotions and behaviors are similar and specially music is a creative output of those. So, though there are some differences from some technical point of view (chord progression, rhythm pattern or way of singing or playing) according to me, music is same all around the globe. That’s why, perhaps, it sounds great when I play an Irish folk on a traditional Khasi dutara or when I sing a Slovak folk with one of my composition.”

 About muse?

“Me and my band -Papyrus Rain of heart will be always thankful to you all who have been always there with their well wishes, bestowing love upon us with tons of appreciation and support. For you guys our music is alive.”

“For upcoming musicians I would like to say‚ be yourself! you can be inspired by someone’s creation but always try not to become a copy version or try not to kill your creative ideas or talent by running behind quick glamour by singing or playing covers in a reality show. Try to create something unique and meaningful which you really like, so that we can understand you better and can listen from you something new, something amazing ,which we have never heard before. Be polite, keep the entire ego aside and never miss any opportunity to learn, it will pick you up even more higher than you imagine.

And finally say no to drugs, it can’t make musician, believe me. It didn’t make Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison, Nirvana or Aerosmith. It was their passion for doing something new, something path-breaking which made them the milestones in the world of music.”

And meanwhile, the dusk had fallen. Yet there was still lots of catching up to do, time ceased it pretty well, like the way it always does. When everything gets apart, when the memory fades, what really remains with us is the conversation once we have had. It was one of those; like talking and passionately listening to a half-written poem in a man. And sometimes, the charm of half gives you way more delight than a complete one.