“We were trying to find our own soundscape, where we could try out new things,” says violinist Ambi Subramaniam. The search for such a space led him to form the band, SubraMania, in 2013, partnering with sister and singer-songwriter, Bindu Subramaniam. He calls their music a ‘melange of genres’ and that’s surprising given their classical background and illustrious lineage.
“Though Bindu and I have musical sensibilities that are different from other band members, we try to come with one sound, which is the SubraMania sound,” says Ambi.
The band has to its credit a handful of singles on YouTube. Their maiden album titled ‘You Were There’ was released recently. Comprising nine tracks, the album is a mix of styles and languages, with lyrics penned mostly by Bindu. “Every song represents a moment or feeling and the songs come together to make up a beautiful musical story,” adds Bindu.
Indian flavour
The two talk about how every song in the album has an Indian flavour. “The tune and technique establish the band’s individuality. We, like our father, believe in bringing to our presentations the old-world charm and contemporary appeal. That is the way to take one’s music to a global audience. “We have a piece based on Nasikabhushani, a 200-year-old Carnatic raga, but fitted into a jazz-rock arrangement,” explains Ambi.
We’ve learnt to appreciate music of all genres from our parents because of the openness they practice in their own artistry,” points out Ambi, adding that their violinist-father L. Subramanian has always encouraged them to keep their mind open to different influences. “Who better than him, a master composer and collaborator, to guide us through our journey. Our father insists that the first step to collaboration is familiarisation. As musicians we must understand the world of the other artistes so we can create a compositional structure that complements varied musical domains.”
On the process of putting together the album, Bindu refers to it as “organic, germinating from casual jamming sessions” that often take her and Ambi by surprise. “For us, SubraMania is an expression of what we’re going through musically...experiences and identities.”
The siblings will be touring with the album around the world, including performances in India.
“With the completion of this dream project, I plan to get back to penning lyrics. Nothing can match the feeling of a brand new lyric,” smiles Bindu.
SubraMania’s debut album, You Were There, is available on Twaang and iTunes.
