INDIAN OCEAN ’ S DESERT RAIN CONTINUES TO BE A GOLD STANDARD OF INDIAN FUSION
SCORE INDIE CLASSICS
SHAURYA SINGH THAPA
After shaping Indian rock and contemporary folk / fusion since the 90s , Indian Ocean needs no introduction . A streaming platform like Spotify might connect listeners with the band ’ s film soundtracks , new singles , and their 2000 album Kandisa . However , to truly get an understanding of their musical prowess in their nascent stages , one can head out to YouTube to find their first two albums . This includes their self-titled debut , and Desert Rain . The latter is unique in the sense that it is a live recorded album , a rare phenomenon in its time ( and maybe even today ).
Legend has it that Indian Ocean were to perform at Delhi ’ s Mandi House on the occasion of legendary playwright Safdar Hashmi ’ s birth anniversary . The day was 1 January , 1997 . A new year had begun and so had a new chapter in Indian Ocean ’ s musical journey .
In what seemed like a spontaneous decision , the band recorded their 7-track performance on a DAT recorder ( Digital Audio Tape ). Three songs from their tracklist were already featured in their debut album while the four others were previously unreleased content . The amalgamation of jazz and rock along with Indian instrumentation was a feat to behold for the indie music scene back then . And it can easily be argued that Indian Ocean did bring about a new wave of fusion music that was experimental and at the same time , easily palatable for the audiences .
The founding fathers of Indian Ocean , percussionist Asheem Chakravarty and guitarist Susmit Sen , were responsible for writing most of Desert Rain ’ s compositions . Chakravarty also lent a few vocals here and there but the largely instrumental album succeeded in highlighting every member ’ s traits . The contributions of fan favourites Rahul Ram ( bass ) and Amit Kilam ( percussion and multiple instruments ) were later added in the final mixing .
From Village Damsel to Melancholic Ecstasy , the instrumental tracks are lively , atmospheric , and definitely remnants of musical history that need to be passed on to the future generations . The album ’ s recording process evokes a sense of impulsiveness that might be characteristic of its era , a time when artists didn ’ t have to pre-plan their streaming releases or helm any promotional campaigns on social media . In order to build a loyal fanbase , all that an artist had to do was to give their best on stage and this is the feat that Indian Ocean achieved .
Released as a limited edition , Desert Rain began to garner a cult fan following prompting the band to re-release the record in 2002 . Since then , the band ’ s members haven ’ t stopped in cementing their status as stalwarts of Indian rock . Apart from their own releases and global concerts , Indian Ocean has lent its expertise on the soundtracks of iconic films like Black Friday , Masaan , and Peepli Live . In fact , Black Friday ’ s Bandeh continues to be one of the most recognisable Indian Ocean tracks for mainstream audiences . The band has been an ardent critic of record labels for copyright issues , and drawbacks in distribution . In a symbolic move ,
Indian Ocean even released their 2010 album 16 / 330 Khajoor Road for free .
Since Desert Rain , the crew has gone through changes in its lineup . Susmit Sen left the band in 2013 , releasing an acclaimed solo album titled Depths of the Ocean . Asheem Chakravarty unfortunately succumbed to a heart attack in 2009 .
Bassist Rahul Ram has also been involved with movements such as Narmada Bachao Andolan while pursuing side-projects like the satirical group Aisi Taisi Democracy . Amit Kilam also keeps on performing for the band , dabbling in a variety of instruments , ranging from drums to the clarinet . His drumming pattern is notable for incorporating longer Indianised rhythm cycles rather than following the formulaic 4 / 4 pattern .
Joined by new members over the years , Ram and Kilam continue their tenure , carrying on the legacy that Sen and Chakravarty founded decades ago …
The Score Magazine
16 highonscore . com