When he moved to Bengaluru from Coimbatore four years ago, there was only one thing on the mind of 26-year-old musician Saravana Gowtham: follow his dream of making it in the indie music scene. “I chose [Bengaluru] as the music scene is vibrant here, and people are very supportive of independent voices,” he explains, over phone from his home in Bengaluru.
For a month now, Gowtham has been busy producing his second single, a post-rock instrumental track called A Distant Wave , which is out now on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and JioSaavn. The composer compares his track to waves in an ocean and says, “Just like them, humans also have ups and downs in life. We should wait patiently for it to settle down to find the calmness that follows it.”
It took him three weeks to produce the track. “I was clear about the mood that I wanted to convey. I went over different tunes until I found something that I liked,” he says, adding, “I had my limitations but I made the most out of it. I composed the tune, played the guitar and programmed keyboard and drums in it. The only external help I received was from my friend Hreedish Kakoty who mixed and mastered the song.”
The musician, who identifies Nick Johnston, Blackstratblues and Devin Townsend as his influences, intends to change common misconceptions about instrumental tracks. “I have always felt that instrumental music is whole by itself. People often associate this kind of music to background scores. I want to change that perception and show that just like words, musical instruments can also evoke emotions in people,” he says.
His first single, Lost Light , which he released in April, too is an instrumental track. “It is also a post-rock track influenced by my life experiences,” he says, adding that the reception he received for his first instrumental track was what gave him the confidence to produce another single in the same mould. “I was overjoyed when I got messages from strangers appreciating my work. I realised that there are people who enjoy instrumental music,” he says.
When he is not producing music, Saravana jams with three Bengaluru-based bands: The Sahej Project, Prime Rage and Verses. “I am currently working on an EP record with four songs. I have a basic idea that needs to be deveoped. I hope to release it next year,” he adds.
