Of Ska and Strings: IndiEarth At The Park
A space where one can find solace in song, can move to music; a space where different performers can bring their visions ideas sounds and stories to the same stage; a space for independent expression – the aim of IndiEarth At The Park is to offer artists this space. “We had a great time playing for this event,” said Karthick Iyer, the first performer for the night this past Saturday. “It was the first time I had been to IndiEarth at the Park and I immediately liked the ambience. Unlike on bigger stages, here I felt much more connected with the audience – a very intimate setting!”
An exceptional violinist, with a background in Carnatic classical music and an equally strong penchant for sonic diversity – Karthick showcased his myriad influences and unique approach to bringing these influences together. “Ever since Ram came into the band as a drummer (we used to have a multi-percussionist earlier), our compositions have taken a twist towards being ‘rock-ish’,” he told IndiEarth after the show. “We’ve had a lot of fun exploring the progressive rock genre with songs like Saaranga and Intro with its tempo shifts and syncopation. That said, I’m really looking forward to making songs that blend Carnatic with other genres without restricting our music to just one specific genre. I’m interested in getting out some folk (Indian and Celtic) Carnatic songs next.”
His set list for the evening included a blend of originals, as well as adaptations of Carnatic krithis. “We also performed a new song we had composed just for this evening (we don’t have a title yet for this song yet). I’m looking forward to continue making diverse music, and to release an album with our current crop of songs soon!”
The next performer that night was reggae/dancehall/dub DJ
extraordinaire – Dakta Dub. “After Karthick Iyer’s gig, I decided to start off with an Indian classical influenced reggae tune – as a transition between the two vibes – and then I moved into reggae dancehall, and finally shifted to liquid drum n bass towards the end of the night.” The inspiration behind Dakta Dub’s set that Saturday night was to make audiences more familiar with reggae culture, with new sounds of both the past and the present. “I think these events should be done on a regular basis,” he told IndiEarth, “so people get familiar with dancehall/reggae music and the culture surrounding it, and understand how to move to this music – skanking for example comes from ska music, it’s a particular style of dancing. Just imagine you’re standing in one place, but running – that’s reggae music energy dancing! I’d definitely like to see more of that on the dance floor.”
Dakta Dub’s visions for the future of reggae music in India look equally promising, with plans to bring these sounds to otherwise unexplored spaces . “In general, venues where we can play our style of music have been challenging to find – so we thought we’d set up a stage in a playground, and showcase how reggae music culture happens to school kids! We are starting a Wishberry campaign, want to get the community involved, and hope to get this started in January!”
The next edition of IndiEarth At The Park will happen in November – stay tuned to this space for more details.
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