Having jammed through school and college, in 2012, the five boys from Manipur — Rishikesh Thangjam, Kamlesh Khundrakpam, Nongpok Arambam, Kumarjit Huirem and Sumit Lukram — decided to form a band, The Koi (‘beard’ in Manipuri). “We liked the exchange of ideas and the sound that was evolving, so we recorded a few songs and uploaded them on Sound Cloud,” says Thangjam, describing their early days. The band’s name is also indicative of their sound: instinctive and raw. “Our music is experimental, with a blend of electronics, western classical guitar, and folk elements,” he shares.
Their first concert, The Koi - The Journey So Far, in Imphal in 2014, was applauded as a fresh sound, with an original blend of native and western influences. In 2015, they released their first album, Episode 1 , which won favourable reviews. Presently based in Bengaluru, where he runs a studio, Thangjam meets up with the band every few months, and they are now adding the finishing touches to a new EP. “This will be more pop and rock oriented, and we hope to release it by winter,” he says.
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