The supersonic artistes

Donn Bhat+Passenger Revelator have come to be known as one of the most experimental live acts, as they blend rock, electro, folk, and DnB. And Kolkata-based duo Parekh & Singh (Nischay Parekh on guitar, keyboards and synths and Jivraj Singh on drums, drum machines and effects) have been wowing fans with their dreamy pop tunes, well-tailored suits (uniforms that they love), and Wes Anderson-like videos like I Love you Baby, I Love you Doll and Ghost. The bands will take stage at the Vh1 Supersonic 2018 at Laxmi Lawns in Pune (February 9-11). Donn and Nischay talk to us about their set and careers.

Geared up for Supersonic 2018?

Oh, yeah! We like playing to newer audiences. We’ve never played a strictly EDM/DJ festival, though Supersonic is no longer just that.

How different is playing at festivals in India and abroad?

We enjoy both. One thing that we found very different was that people outside make sure they purchase your music. Even if they’re friends you make at a gig and you want to share it with them for free, somehow, they will not accept it.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in indie music over the years?

Originality and acceptance of original music. That’s the one big change to an extent.

Is your music eclectic to make it palatable to wider audience?

Music is not a tried-and-tested formula for us. It comes from a sense of hearing to a lot of different music and trying to surprise yourself with something new.

Tell us about your most gratifying collaborations...  

We’ve had great times collaborating with Sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan and baul singer Malabika. A project in April will have me performing live with a group of dancers. It’s a totally different kind of collaboration.

What are you working on?

Some new songs, two of which we’re playing at Supersonic — Revolutions Coming and Feel It Too.

Your track Desh Bhakti has Hindi chants. Are you open to creating songs in the language?

Absolutely! There should be no demarcation in music. We’re very open to Hindi music. We’re just not good at writing it. In fact, if there are any writers in Hindi/Urdu, who hate words like janu/dil as much as us, please get in touch!

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Please give us a peek into the setlist for Vh1 Supersonic 2018?

This will be our first big show of the year and also a festival performance in a while. The line-up is phenomenal. Incubus is legendary and Alt-J are on their way to being legends.

Who are your current favourites in the Indian indie scene?

We love Sandunes, Lands, Tejas Menon, Spud in the Box, The F-16s, and Disco Puppet. So much good music is happening in India right now. This is a revolution; no one is afraid to make the music that feels natural to them or trying to please anyone other than themselves. We have more music festivals and shows than ever before.

From having a band to becoming a duo project, what was the transformation like?

It was a natural progression. We are friends and our friendship has evolved and translated into the music.

You’ve said that your second album diverges in direction and content from the ‘childhood imagination set to melodies’ in Ocean. How will it be different?

It will have songs about the diurnal cycle, immunity, physics and, of course, love. The sound is certainly going to be more futuristic and wholesome as well. We have not decided on a final title yet. It will be a surprise.

Can you tell us about your professional lives before and after signing up with the UK label Peacefrog?

We’ve begun to work harder and have started thinking about things in a broader context now. Details are important and that’s the first step, but true joy lies in the bigger picture.