Fist of Fury is a continuation of Liquid Tabla which I put up earlier that are tabla driven electronic tracks . It started with “ One Step Beyond ” and continued with “ GK2 ”, in the next album another track “ New Born Track ” which all have an aggressive tabla feel to it . Bruce Lee is the inspiration for these tracks and if you listen to them back-to-back , you can make out the connection . Fist of Fury is also named after Bruce Lee actually ! I ’ ve also done a track named “ Be Like Water ” after the famous quote by the martial arts legend .
What about Sunset Sketch ?
This track actually happened when I was on a phone call with my friend who was watching sunset ( in Mumbai ) while I was watching sunrise ( in New York ). We were exchanging pictures of sunset and sunrise simultaneously and talking about it . That was the inspiration behind the track .
Talk to us about the process of your production . How did you manage to produce this album in the times of pandemic ?
Fortunately , we all have our mobile studios now and I have a studio in Goa and Brooklyn . Once I plug my laptop to my gear , I can easily produce music and I was able to do it in a contained space . It took a year to finish the tracks .
What are some of the instruments you used in making of this album ?
I definitely used tabla as a kind of a spine throughout the album , even in the ballads . I tried to achieve a different sound through tabla . For example , in Fist of Fury , tabla was the main voice . Sometimes I used vocal , some other times as a side instrument . I also write a lot on piano , and I transform it to synth sounds within Logic . There is acoustic guitar , and in the second part of the album Touch-2 , there are some interesting collaborations that are high on guitars . It ’ s mainly me with my computer , Logic , Piano and the Sounds !
“ Karsh Kale mixes eclectic beats with the sounds of his heritage to
The Score Magazine
10 highonscore . com make a sound that is distinctly his own .” – These were the words of Former American President Barack Obama . Where do you draw inspiration from while creating these sounds ?
I have always been doing it since I was a kid . I used to hear a pop song and found an analogy to a film song . Sometimes a visual piece of art can evoke a certain sound . Throughout my life , I have always been in search for unique sounds . I listen to everything from classical music , R & B , Jazz , Ambient Music , and I am constantly changing to various genres . At the same time , my canvas is blank and I keep it open completely .
Do you have any process for composition ?
My melodies are usually created when I am on my piano . Once I formulate an idea or a story , I take it to Logic . It comes from many places after that . Sometimes , I find it from electronic sounds and build from there . The tracks are very diverse in even in this album “ Touch ” – the first half takes up one way and in the second half , the journey goes completely unexpected .
If there is any particular album / track of yours that you could re-work on , what would it be and why ?
I think I ’ d much rather make something new . I don ’ t like much to listen back too much to my old stuff for that very reason that I ’ ll start thinking of how I could have done it better . It is always better not to look back at all and go forward with zeal .
According to you , what makes a piece of music worth listening to ?
There are too many answers to that question because we listen to music for various reasons . We don ’ t eat food just for only one reason and similarly our relationship with music is multi layered and varies from day to day and even at different times time of day . For me , music simply needs to capture a mood and tell a story or create a journey for the listener to take .
What is the one thing that you will never compromise with when it comes to composition ?
There is a lot of wavering when it comes to finalising a composition . Some compositions never leave me for months , but when I know when I arrived at the crux and feel that , “ This is what it is really all about !” , that is my ultimate success point as a musician .
What are some of the most significant musical choices you have made ?
I think that learning and studying Tabla had been a huge asset to my abilities of playing and understanding the physicality of other instruments . Also , being a drummer has given me a foundation as a musician allowing me to understand pocket and groove on any instrument . The choice to incorporate Indian Classical and Folk Music into my productions has allowed me to achieve a soundscape that has allowed me to make music for more than two decades .
What are your thoughts on Indie music in India ?
I really don ’ t know that there is such a thing as Indie music in India any more as Indian artists of all walks have gone global . India is producing worldclass Pop artists , singers , songwriters , electronic producers , rappers and fusion artists on par with that if the rest if the world now . Done are the days of Indie music I think . India is International .
What would be your message to artists who have just made their entry into the industry ?
There is such an incredible saturation of talented musicians these days , there is a tendency to copy or imitate what we see . I would like to remind the young artists is to be original and not to be too carried away with a particular musician . Always remember that your strongest asset is originality .