‘WE MIGHT SEE ANOTHER WAVE OF INDIE MUSIC’
With the sound of resilience and a heartfelt yearning for home, the band Parvaaz is soaring towards a resurgence of nonfilm music on the scene
It’s true that when away, one looks for the familiarity of home. And this was what happened when musicians Kashif Iqbal and Khalid Ahamed — classmates from Srinagar — rediscovered each other in Bangalore, to bond over a shared interest in writing and performing music. A year later, in 2011, Sachin Banandur joined on drums and Fidel D’Souza on bass, and the band Parvaaz was born. The four went into studio to start work on their first full EP release, Behosh, which came out in 2012.
The sound of resurgence and resilience from Kashmir, the band could not have been named more aptly—its sounds have an inherent yearning that tugs at the heartsrings.
“Our love of music found us writing about instances or memorable times that were special in their own way. We often lend our moods to the soundscapes and let the music take over,” says frontman Ahamed. Guitarist Iqbal adds, “Itne Arsey Ke Baad speaks of a longing to return to home, and Ziyankar is a poetic quest to understand the human nature and a deep longing to seek a spiritual solace.”
Ringing notes of chimes and ambient sounds that remind you of home — there is something very familiar about their music. The band believes in following their strengths and fostering their individuality. “Our view has been to stay true to our sounds and find ways to create that aesthetic for our audiences. Staying process-oriented can help keep your work in line with that direction,” says Ahamed.
Heralding a wave of indie music, bands like theirs give voice to analog musicians in digital times.
“Non-film music has always found interest in the country, but with so many artists from all over the country ready to perform, we might see another wave of indie music. The internet helps break such work to the masses,” says Banandur.
Being true to the languages they grew up with is another of the band’s strengths. Urdu, Kashmiri, and Hindi dot their lyrical landscape. “They [the languages] are our primary source of communication when it comes to songwriting; not so conscious an effort to keep it so, but it is what is natural to us,” says Iqbal.
Where do they get their inspiration? “[Our] music has been inspired by a great heritage and the rich folklore that surrounds us. Western music brings progressive elements towards a style that is more guitar-driven, and we find that balance between what we feel is the expression, and what is the vision of the theme,” shares Iqbal. Among musicians that inspire them are legends from across the Indian and international circuits. “Artists like Pink Floyd, Tinariwen, Radiohead, Sigur Rós, Led Zeppelin inspire us. Closer home, Indian Ocean and Avial have broken the landscape into a regional voice that our audience relates to,” he adds.
Fans can look forward to the release of a full-length album early next year, and considering the kind of response their song Beparwah, from the Kay Kay Menon-starrer Vodka Diaries has got, the band is also looking to collaborate with more filmmakers.
So many [analog] artists from all over the country [are] ready to perform... The internet helps break such work to the masses
SACHIN BANANDUR, DRUMMER