Kandisa

After spendning a long time listening to this music for about 50 times now, I am not bored. There's always something new in this music. There's always something more you can yearn for, there's always something more to look for.

Kandisa is this piece of incredible music created by a band called Indian Ocean. and I like every bit of it.

I've been ignoring stuff from these guys as I more or less avoid folkish music. But I first got pulled towards folk music after listening to Shubha Mudgal. She has such a magnificent voice, and she renders her notes in such a sonorous way that your heart yearns for more of it. Please note that there's a lot more to Shubha Mudgal than her pop albums, and that those little pop albums were some of her "forgettable" works.

When I was in such a mood, Indian Ocean performed in Hyderabad. I was listening to most of the songs for the first time, and any songs that I might have heard never registered in my mind. But their performance on stage replenished all my energy and left me feeling much beeter about myself. I should really thank Shamnu for talking me along on his awesome Avenger.

Now, don't start assuming that this is a folk-music band. The band is comprised of 4 self-taught musicians. Since they are all almost self-taught, the music is unconventional. It doesn't fit into any genre. Listeners need to approach it without a pre-conceived notion. For those who insist, I'd take liberty to classify them as a hindusthani classical folk group with rock overtones.

I especially liked the way Sushmit played his guitar. Now-a-days, I listen to Kandisa just for Sushmit's guitar. (For those who can't identify Sushmit's guitar, here are the steps - in a typical song of this band, you'll hear two guitars, one is the bass guitar, which will sound more or less like a western guitar with low-pitched sounds, and another guitar which feels more or less like a very indian instrument, like probably a modified veena or modified mandolin. I am talking about the guitar).

What's so good about the music? The sound. I like the way they sing and I like the way they play their instruments. There's peace and there's excitement. There's just plain expression of joy and deep thought. There's rock and there's hindusthani classical. And the instruments are different and they're played differently. And the way they play it is impeccable.

Where do you find indian classical drums on a 7 or 14 beat scale when great drummers are still exploring the good old 4 or 8 beat scales? Do you find him play rithm on a bass guitar? And do you see people manage all that while still singing with a voice that feels like the smells like the first rain of the season?

Where do you find a western drummer play flute and folk instruments?

Where do you find a bass guitarist sing hindustani classical while hitting chords to match the notes?

And finally, where do you find a guitarist who can churn out melodies after melodies in such a speed that you'll be gasping for your breath trying to follow his notes? (I find it increasingly difficult to describe Sushmit... heck! - throw my English to the dogs!)

Look no further.