In Karthick Iyer’s small but spiffy home studio in Thiruvanmiyur, for the last two weeks or so, Saramathi has been on loop. For the violinist, vocalist and creator of IndoSoul — a city-based five-piece band that uses Carnatic music as its inspiration — it is special for more reasons than one. The fourth track from Two Sides of Karma, the band’s third album in six years, is an ode to the Carnatic ragam it is rooted in.
Inspired by the lyrics of Tamil composer, Pithukuli Murugadas, and with an English interlude, the song reinforces the importance of allowing ourselves the freedom to be who we are, irrespective of societal norms and expectations. “It’s the simplest and the toughest way to be,,” Iyer says. This, and other originals, will be shared with the audience as the band goes on a six-city tour (starting in Chennai on August 30) as part of The Park’s New Festival (organised by the Prakriti Foundation).
- IndoSoul by Karthick Iyer on August 30 at The Park, from 7 pm
- Stories by Hand by Preeti Vasudevan on August 31 at Museum Theatre, from 7 pm
- Noise Over Artists — a stand-up comedy show by Rajiv Rajaram and Utsav Chakraborty on September 1 at The Park, from 7 pm
- To See or Not To See — a talk by Ana Lamata at The Park, from 4 pm
- Free entry
- prakritifoundation.com
Their album has been a work-in-progress for over a year now, having its genesis when the band went on a nearly eight-week-long tour to the US two years ago and brewed thereafter over several day-long jamming sessions at their practice pad on Old Mahabalipuram Road. It comprises of seven tracks (including a title track) and these are being released online, one every fortnight, for the last two months.
Iyer says, “The album is rooted in the Indian concept of karma. From a form and presentation point of view, when I look back at our first album, I feel there’s a sense of maturity about this album. And I think that’s only a second step in the road ahead of us and not the destination.” And so, the album uses music to articulate a slew of emotions that result from good and bad karma.
Iyer and his band members — Vikram Vivekanand (guitar and vocals), Sumesh Narayanan (percussion, mridangam and electronic sound design), Ramkumar Kanakarajan (drums) and Reshwin Nishith (bass) — think of themselves as “explorers”, keen and excited to discover and unravel possibilities for the Carnatic form to interact and mingle with new sounds, instruments, and musical genres. “It’s really about experimenting and expressing, and the possibility of sharing this music with an eclectic audience that is most gratifying,” he says.
As for the upcoming tour, even though the music will evoke sounds and sensations that are contemporary and international, its spirit is a sense of the classical; one that is full of abandon.