KOCHI: Perhaps, the only thing we can control when the world is going crazy is how we handle it. Ask musician and composer Rishad Mustafa and singer Anand Sreeraj. The duo, who previously worked together for a Malayalam track in 2018, released its new English electronic album ‘Hold me tight’ recently. Though the virus hindered post production and video shoot, the team is now on its way to complete it.
Anand and Rishad entered the music scene with their first single ‘Nilave’, a Malayalam EDM creation, that now has over three million views on YouTube. Anand, who also penned the lyrics for ‘Hold me tight’, started his musical career at the age of 15. Since then, he has been part of various bands in and outside Kerala, including Deepak Dev’s venture. Rishad, the music producer, started composing and producing music when he was 13. Since then he has worked with movies and advertising films across multiple languages.
“Making independent music was always my main focus. Having worked with sound so far, I have an infatuation with electronic music, which I am meaning to pursue,” says Rishad.The Kygo-like mystical progression of the song, paired with deep lyrics sends you into a comfortable trance. ‘In memories we reside, there’s no turning back’ writes Anand, who has proved his versatility in handling multiple genres and languages. As the track progresses, you will also notice the unexpected influx of Indian music and instruments, the flute, which blends back into the frame before you can catch it.
“Electronic music has a certain freedom. You are free to create, to experiment and work on what you want to develop. You can do that in a studio,” he says. The fact that a disease-struck world today needs that kind of self-sufficiency may be an added advantage.
The duo is now aiming at digital platforms to get their music to people. “We are pitching to Spotify and Apple. That is where everyone is listening now, at least till things get better and we can hope to do a live concert. But till then, the world still needs music,” he says. Anand and Rishad are planning to release five more original compositions in the near future. The track is available on YouTube and Spotify.