Delhi-based label Gravity Sounds released its new EP, called ‘Green Tea’ on January 28. A collaboration between electronica music producers Komorebi aka Tarana Marwah and Curtain Blue aka Abhishek Bhatia, the EP features the track along with three remixes by electronic music producers Grain aka Gaurav Raina, Jitter aka Jayant Luthra and Malfnktion aka Aditya Ala Muru.
Embodying the spirit of a soothing cup of green tea, the track has a lilting, lounge-like feel to it, and is a mix of the two artists’ distinctive styles—Curtain Blue’s haunting vocals and Komorebi’s emotive quality. Further, Malfnktion contributed Indian sounds to the track’s remix, while Grain and Jitter applied a modern retro process—using hardware sequencers instead of digital programming—taking the track into a hypnotic techno dance space.
A homage to the artists that inspire them, the process of collaboration was rather organic. The duo has been good friends for years. “Since we both have home studios in Delhi, it was only too easy to cop a squat and engage in a back-and-forth that resulted in the body of work we’re dropping,” says Komorebi. Curtain Blue adds, “It’s great to ideate and work with like-minded musicians and producers. What makes it better is that we both sing and are experimental as hell.”
Komorebi describes the EP as a step outside of their intense headspace or comfort zone and very experimental by nature, with no agenda in mind. Curtain Blue, for whom it is his first collaboration with Komorebi, adds that they had a lot of fun working on it together. “We heard new music together and shared our mutual nostalgia for the good times with friends,” Curtain Blue explains. As a result, the lyrics are all about a conversation among bunch of friends sitting by a bonfire and discussing the good old days. “The remixes are by artists whose musical sensibilities really excite us. All three bring in such a cool new perspective to what we did,” she adds.
So, why green tea? Komorebi says after spending hours with Curtain Blue producing the music together while sipping several cups of some amazing green tea—the name seemed most appropriate. “I thought it sounded like a cute segue into our releases together,” she adds. But ‘Green Tea’ is just the first step in this collaborative journey. Up ahead is a tour and a full-length album in the works for which they have already written four songs—some cerebral, some groovy—and some, a combination of both.
Komorebi’s last release ‘Candyland’ was considered to be one of 2017’s best albums. Curtain Blue, on its part, has earlier collaborated with Los Angeles-based German composer Robot Koch as well as Indian singer and actor Monica Dogra. A new label set up by Grain, Gravity Sounds is looking to bring a fresh perspective to the current music scape of the Indian indie electronic music scene.