TWO'S COMPANY, THREE'S A CROWD
When I think of Simon and Garfunkel, or Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is always the chemistry in the music that hits me the most. Music duos have always had the balancing act in their pockets. For many, such a symbiotic relationship might not have been a successful enterprise, but the results have often been brilliant- I can never stop listening to Simon and Garfunkel!
India’s music scene, which has mostly been monopolized by Bollywood, has seen some of the greatest music duos in terms of music productionJatin-Lalit, LaxmikantPyarelal, Sajid-Wajid. But thanks to the innumerable music festivals and platforms for non-Bollywood artists popping up- we are finally witnessing independent artists showing us the kind of change we need.
These terrific duos are creating a ripple throughout the evolving indie scene in the country and you would not want to miss them!
1. Hari-Sukhmani
This Chandigarh based duo aims to revive fading folk songs from Punjab with Sukhmani’s powerful voice and Hari’s uniquely complimenting ambient electronic beats. Sukhmani Malik is a highly trained classical singer belonging to the Rampur Gharana and Hari Singh Jaaj is the producer and backing vocalist. They have been a Coke Studio favorite for many fans, for their refreshing take on fusion music.
2. Sulk Station
This Bengaluru based duo defines their music as “mellowdramatic pop”- incorporating the richness of Hindustani classical with electronic music genres such as ambient, trip-hop and post-dubstep. Tanvi Rao with her distinguished sultry voice and Rahul Giri’s hypnotic, dream-pop like synth beats creates a unique flavor that has you listening to them on a loop.
3. Paloma-Adil
Paloma Majumdar, an award-winning Bengali playback singer, and Adil Rashid, the terrific guitarist from Underground Authority came together in 2016. Their genre can be termed as “electronic mood music”- a mix of jazzy vocal melodies and electronic music with live guitars. Their style brings forth their own thoughts and feelings in the most poetic way and it sure to strike a chord with you.
4. Maati Baani
Kartik Shah and Nirali Kartik’s Maati Baani began its journey as an experimental YouTube video back in 2012. This wonderful duo has been described as “nomads of music”- as they have incorporated diverse styles and techniques in their music from all around the globe. They have collaborated with more than 70 artists across 30 countries.
5. Seedhe Maut
This rap duo- Encore ABJ and MC Calm, is best known for their fiery, bilingual rap. They sing about the struggles of raging poverty, political violence and unemployment they witness around them- giving a voice to the marginalized and inspiring other artists to speak up. Being a regular at music festivals, this duo has successfully defined rap on their own terms and they are doing an incredible job at it.