Songs of separation

BENGALURU: Musician Suraj Mani’s latest four-track EP comes after a two-year hiatus as an up close and personal affair that revolves around a turbulent phase in his life – that of separation. So much so the artiste asserted that the EP, Rinse and Repeat, which released recently, is his way of acknowledging his failures in his marriage.

Ask him whether it was ideal to openly address his situation through his work, he said, "It’s difficult sometimes to know what’s right or wrong but then one also knows which decisions make you feel stronger and that’s what pushed me to do this. I just felt it was time to say whatever I had to. I wrote five iterations but when I skirted around the issue, none felt honest. When I decided to come clean, it came out instantly," says Mani, adding that while sadness is a part of the ordeal, being ashamed is not.

A formidable presence in the country’s independent music scene for over two decades, Mani’s songwriting and sonic aspects showcase a massive difference from his previous works.

While tracks Rinse and Repeat and Sacred Ground speak of coming to terms with the end of his relationship and betrayal, Samsara is distinct from the rest of the album – an effort to sum up the same. Mani’s approach to the album has been that of a singer-songwriter with lyrics of deep meaning and compositions leaning on the mellow end.

"What I am trying to say here is that once you have a peaceful heart, then it’s easier to deal with ups and downs. You can’t expect life to be peaceful but with a peaceful heart, it’s easier to deal with all these events," he says. 

Addressing the taboo surrounding divorce, Mani believes that once someone were to make a decision, society seems to adjust around it. “It is something that we are dealing with in our own heads and today, I feel it’s my decision about myself that matters the most. This time around the music was simple and I let it happen feeling good about it. Maybe it’s the words that are more important than the music. I wanted the message to get out first,” says Mani.