Shorelines (A Passing Glimpse):
This New Delhi-based band is studio-only, which means you won’t be seeing
them live anytime. Would you be missing out? I’m not entirely sure.
Their debut EP is an exercise in pleasantry. True to mainstream conceptions of ‘indie’,
the songs are primarily built on acoustic foundations. Charm is the dominating
aesthetic. The songs are easy to follow, and do not make demands upon the listener's
intellect. You may be assured that they can be listened to without deliberate attention.
Feel free to play them if you enjoy having a soundtrack to your thoughts.
I cannot say that I was floored by any part of the EP. There is nothing wrong with any
of them. Each plays perfectly ways, and can be an excellent accompaniment to wine and
Sunday company. If that was the purpose of the band, they have accomplished it without
a hitch.
I enjoyed "New York", particularly because I have always enjoyed art that explores the plight of the lost and forlorn (also
because I love Sinatra). The disillusionment that accompanies idealisation of anything (in this case, the city or rather the
image of the city) is adeptly expressed. One can relate to the melodic complaints of the exhausted dreamer.
There is nothing in the EP that would qualify as bad music. Its clear that the band had put in significant effort with each
piece. However, you will have trouble finding something that impels you to a moment of personal revelation, or even awe.
What they sing of may seem familiar, in fact, a bit too familiar. Often, it plunges into the realm of the 'generic'. If inward-
gazing, semi-wistful truths are your thing, you will be better off delving into the work of Prateek Kuhad and the like.
Nonetheless, I can only hope that A Passing Glimpse played it safe, and that their subsequent creations will reveal a taste for
pushing some limits.
Northern Eye (Mixtaped Monk):
I remember reviewing this man’s last EP. I remember being fairly impressed, which is why
I was wary of his new release. No one likes to be disappointed, especially by an indie artist.
It is hard enough for independently driven circles to gain credibility as it is.
I had very little to worry about. Arka Sengupta did well. His music is the kind often
termed ‘ambient’, which is about as vague as it gets. The label is not entirely inappropriate
as his work focuses on influencing the listener’s sensual atmosphere. However, one must
not make the mistake of synonymising ‘ambient’ with ‘spaced out’, as that would constrict
the genre’s applicability. Mixtaped Monk crafts sound to engage his listener deliberately.
He draws relevance from a multitude of stories, in this case, mythological accounts
emerging from various cultures.
To express a tale instrumentally can be misguided. Without lyrics, there is always the
possibility of radically personal interpretation. While this can be fun, it can also be fatal for the artist’s intention. If one views
good art as authentic self-expression, this phenomenon comes dangerous close to defeating the purpose.
In this case, I am not entirely sure if the artist’s point got through. What I can vouch for is that the music is more compelling
than the genre gets credit for. Every track courts your attention, and regards it with ease. Precision is celebrated, but enough
space is made for unstructured joyriding. Multiple replays are called for, and could easily serve as background to some
interesting cinematic experiences.
The
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