For nearly two decades, Delhi-based duo of Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj, better known as The Midival Punditz, have created a revolution of sorts among music lovers, especially Generation X, with their pulsating new age music. As electronica innovators, the duo has managed to create interest among listeners by drawing from a variety of sources from across the planet. They performed in the Capital to give a live performance of “Light”, their fourth full-length studio album. Their performance-based concept record is an amalgamation of Western rock and folk traditions of India. In this album, Gaurav has sung alongside American producer Todd Michaelsen in “Don’t Let Go”.
How have the youngsters responded to your latest album and what is its unique selling point?
Gaurav : We have received a very good response. Our last gig in Delhi saw a packed house. After our last album “Hello Hello”, we had started working on different projects and decided about two years ago to write a new album. We started the process with many different ideas and then we were finally convinced about the idea of doing a continuous concept-based album, centred around a live performance. While writing an album we always follow an organic thought process and work only when inspiration strikes. To preserve a more cohesive chain of thought, we wrote the tracks for “Light”, one after the other. We made sure that the musicians collaborated with us for each track. We waited for them to get into the studio with us, as and when possible. We feel that the album has a bigger and more epic feel than our previous work.
At the same time the album carries our signature sound and brings forth some of the best folk music from India’s awesome musical heritage. We have focussed more on folk music along with our signature electronica sound in this album, while in the past our album have had a lot of classical influences.
Tell us in detail about your latest album and how have you made it entertaining?
Tapan : This is our fourth studio album. When we were making the album, we were not just thinking about making the songs but also how the songs will be presented live to the audience. We were thinking how the light and visual sequence would add to the entire experience for the audience.
Therefore, “Light” has been conceptualised to be presented live with a full band, in its entirety with all songs being performed in the same flow as in the studio version. The album has strong roots in various styles of Indian folk music and also our signature style of electronic music. We have collaborated with very talented artists from across India to showcase various folk styles such as Carnatic, Rajasthani and UP. Papon, Malini Awasthi, Kutle Khan are some the musicians we have worked with.
We have worked with Delhi-based duo Santana Issar and Naasha Mehta, who have created visuals for each track of the album and these visuals will be displayed on a screen behind the band during our performances. These visuals and also the lighting production are in sync with the music during the performance. We believe it creates a more impactful experience for our audience.
At a time when the new age music has become a rage in metros and in even small towns how do you ensure that each album is contemporary and at the same time lively and pulsating?
Gaurav : We feel, now there is much more acceptance of our style of music and even most independent music. This has resulted in platforms like music festivals, radio and to channels showcasing some of these independent styles of music. Over the last few years, live music has gained immense popularity and a lot of people are getting used to the idea of going out to listen to music played live.
When we are writing music, we are our own worst critics and as soon as we feel that a track that we are working on, is sounding ‘stock’, we immediately discard it and start again. This process continues till we are both satisfied that we have really come up with something that we have not done before. Of course, the tracks bear our signature stamp musically, but even then it should not sound dated and should always sound ‘current’.
