Wrapped in a haze of atmospherics and homegrown synth sounds, Sulk Station's songs are an inspiring mix of contemporary electronic genres with traces of Indian classical music.
Weaving earthy sounds into their musical arrangement, the duo Tanvi Rao and Rahul Giri have redefined the identity of an urban soundscape with their compositions today. In most of their tracks, the duo often manage to traverse unfamiliar musical terrains that creates an ambient yet quirky setting. Tanvi's sultry vocals come alive with Rahul's minimalistic beats. And, it is this powerful combination has given birth to an avant-garde musical template.
Formed in the year 2009, Sulk Station primarily thrive on experimentation. Exploring diverse sounds, their tunes are influenced by trip-hop but not necessarily defined by that genre alone.
According to Rahul, trip-hop is a UK movement that had bands like Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky nurturing the sound over the years. "The same thing cannot be replicated here," said Giri. Apart from toning down melodies and stripping sounds of their elements, the musicians derive great pleasure in turning the tide of musicality with their songs. Their latest album Till You Appear consists of songs that were written and performed by the group over the last two years. While one of the tracks Bindiya has delicate yet powerful melodies; Piya 2 is a culmination of groovy beats, harmonies and powerful lyrics. Likewise, the simplicity of Pause's lyrics intensifies its focus on raw melodies and rhythms. In fact, this particular track gives you a glimpse into the memory of a dream that has long been forgotten.
"The album was an all out DIY venture, i.e. songs were recorded, produced and mixed at home. The songs are tied together by an overbearing sense of yearning and the sound — influenced by trip-hop, post dubstep and minimal — is sullen yet uplifting," said the duo.
Though Tanvi feels that music can permeate through all senses, she strongly believes that an artiste must dissolve his or her own identity to create something that is pure and sincere.
"When you silence the ideas in your head and begin to wonder what you would want to sound like, only then will there be a chance of something tangible surfacing. Then what comes out really defines you," said Rao who further added that if one writes something with honesty no matter how beautiful or ugly it is, it will strike a chord with everyone!