Caught between a horde of photographers, a few charming video models and the task of receiving fellow musicians, Papon doesn’t seem to tire one bit. The smile is constant, as he hops about from one corner of the Taj Land’s End poolside venue to another with athletic energy.
The Assamese singer, composer and producer has just released the four-song set The Story Now EP 1 . He says, “I released my debut Hindi album The Story So Far four years ago. And this time, I have moved on.”
So how does The Story Now differ from The Story So Far ? He quips, “That was my story till that time, and this is my story at this point. But on a serious note, I have taken some very bold steps in production, and used horn sections very freely.”
Music lovers know Papon, born Angarag Mahanta, for various styles. On the Hindi film front, he has tasted success with the songs ‘ Jiye Kyun ’ (from Dum Maaro Dum ), ‘ Kyon! ’ (from Barfi ), ‘ Moh Moh Ke Dhaage ’ ( Dum Lagaa Ke Haisha ) and ‘ Bulleya ’ ( Sultan ). His Coke Studio @ MTV songs ‘ Pak Pak ’, ‘ Khumaar ’, ‘ Tokari ’ (with Sugandha Garg), ‘ Benaam Khwahishen ’ (with Anweshaa) and ‘ Tauba ’ (with Benny Dayal) have gained huge traction on YouTube.
Papon attributes his ability to fuse various genres to his upbringing, citing his father Khagen Mahanta as one of his biggest influences. He says, “I heard a lot of Assamese and Bengali music as a kid, but later tried everything from rock acts Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa, to ghazal maestros Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh. Plus, there was a lot of film music. So I try to sing in different genres.”
How does he balance film projects with independent experiments? Papon replies, “I choose what suits my style, and am yet open to experiment. In the new EP, for instance, I have trained to maintain a balance between the old and new schools of music. These songs are the result of my organic growth as a musician over the past four years. At the same time, I have not used Assamese influences here, as I wanted to try something different.”
With The Story Now EP 1 , the singer becomes the third member of Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence programme, after DJ-producer Nucleya and folk singer Raghu Dixit. Papon’s four songs are played either in video format, or with Papon singing with guitar accompaniment. He then describes each one.
The song ‘Loving A Dream’, he says, is infused with the summer feeling of a reggae song. “It’s not really a reggae track but is inspired by the same philosophy, a similar groove,” he explains.
On ‘ Kahin Na Kahin ’, he has gone for a gentle, acoustic feel. He says, “I always been in awe of the accordion — my father’s band also had an accordion player — and earlier in the year, when I travelled to Spain, I got inspired to create this song around the accordion.”
There’s a huge surprise in ‘ Aeri Sakhi ’, a modern adaptation of a qawwali penned by the great Sufi poet Amir Khusro. “It is a song that many have sung, but I had a different vision for it, one that included pop, with streaks of jazz and rock. I was nervous doing it.”
Finally, ‘ Sahil ’ is about wanderlust. Papon points out, “It is inspired by my travels around the world, where my music takes me. It’s a happy song and I wanted to bring out a certain feeling and emotion. I’ve used a horn section, and given the song a carnival-esque sound.”
Though he has used various styles, Papon insists it’s not a forceful experiment. “I tried to ensure the music doesn’t get clubbed into specific genres, and can attract people of different ages,” he says.
Papon has already begun work on the second part of the EP, due next summer. While the basic compositions are in place, he is conceptualising the arrangements. Why didn’t he release it as one full album? “Today, singles are more in vogue. The audience wants shorter doses of good music,” he says, before running back to face more cameras and greet more friends. The party goes on.
The author is a freelance music writer
