BENGALURU: When it comes to bringing post-rock to the forefront in India, Aswekeepsearching has been a driving force, with their music connecting to the masses. On Saturday, the band performed renditions of their latest album, Rooh, at Fandom, Koramangala. Since its release on September 27, Rooh has received applause from listeners and critics alike, with the new album hinting at traces of the pop genre.
Their latest release showcases a fresh sound with a rise in lyrical aspects and maintaining consistency when it comes to the sonic aspects. Sarmah claims the lyrics reflect on the band having more stories to tell from their experiences. “The entire approach towards songwriting was different when compared to our previous work. Earlier, we would come up with a basic idea and build on it but this time, we really measured and scrutinised each development,” says Pune-based artiste Robert Alex (bass guitars). Rooh revolves around the theme of nature and speaks of the struggles and instances in the journey of the band. Tracks such as Aitbaar speak about the trust put in by the people of Assam in the river Brahmaputra in spite of the trouble they face. “A Night In Zottegem and Gangtey are two tracks which are purely location-based experiences we have had as a band. The experience we felt there with respect to the emotions went into the tracks,” said guitarist Shubam Gurung
Aswekeepsearching’s newly joined drummer Sambit Chatterjee belted out crisp snare shots and juicy fills accompanied by a blend of crunchy riffs and sturdy basslines.
Pointing out the increase of post-rock listeners in the country, vocalist Uddipan Sarmah disagreed, stating the genre is yet to completely connect with listeners in the country. He added, “People who have known the genre for over a decade are the ones who actively speak about it. We as a band have been considered as post-rock band but people who attend a show do not attend other post-rock events. There’s still a long way to go for the post-rock scene in India.”
Started in 2015, the Pune-based band had released their debut full-length album Khwaab that year, followed by Zia in 2017. In 2018, Aswekeepsearching toured across Europe for the first time, which would see them play back-to-back gigs throughout their schedule, including Belgium’s Dunk! Festival in Zottegem and Berlin’s Pelagic Festival.
“It was an eye-opening experience because everything from the production of the shows to curation were the artiste’s responsibility, unlike back home. Going through this experience teaches you a lot and also reflects in the music you make.” Sarmah further emphasised on the future projects of the band with an EP scheduled for 2020 for which the work has commenced. “There has been a fresh burst of ideas which we are excited to work on and hopefully early next year, people will get a taste of it,” said Chatterjee.
Coming to the clampdown on music venues in the city which has left musicians in a state of worry, Gurung states that the scenario is disheartening, with venues being platforms for musicians to showcase their art whereas Alex emphasised the need for a consistent paying crowd for venues to sustain and thrive. Chatterjee further added, “There’s also a different perspective to this when you look at it from the residents’ end who have faced issues such as nuisance from the crowd post events, which is not fair to their daily lives as well. A balanced solution has to be drawn for both parties.”