BENGALURU: Revolving around the grim state of mental illness, Lithium, a collaborative EP curated by Bengaluru-based musician Arun Natarajan features electronic artiste Riatsu and Denver-based Trumpeter Joshua Trinidad
Ask Mumbai-based electronic musician Shadaab Kadri aka Riatsu on what his upcoming collaborative EP – Lithium – with Denver-based trumpeter Joshua Trinidad revolves around and he asserts that the theme revolves around that of mental illness. “When we first spoke, Joshua and I established that we wanted to create an album with dark tones and a grim feel to it.
Lithium is the medicine used for the treatment of bipolar disorder,” says Kadri. Curated by Bengaluru-based musician Arun Natarajan under his record label – Subcontinental Records and set to release on July 2, the duo released He Was Right Here, a song from the six-track EP which Kadri cites as a representation of the sound of the entire album. He adds, “The entire album is a score to one’s visual imaginations. It’s a soundtrack for a film that does not exist.”
Carrying dark tones with a grim feel accompanied by a fusion of heavy textured and layered synths with the spacey and smooth sound of Trinidad’s trumpet playing, the EP aims to showcase the murky world of mental illness. Trinidad asserted that while he enjoys working with artistes from other parts of the world, he always comes across new learning about the music making process from artistes across the globe.
“In this instance, Riatsu’s music making taught me the time and patience he puts into the production of high quality music. He is extremely creative and talented,” says Trinidad, adding he explored new areas in trumpet composition and recording with Kadri inspiring an approach to the music that was fresh and innovative. “I found myself on many occasions pushing my personal boundaries with how I recorded the trumpet. I wanted to match the sound to Riatsu’s compositions that complimented the overall vibe,” says Trinidad