© Instagram.com/parekhandsingh
Culture & Living
Watch Parekh & Singh explore a world of primary colours in their new video
The pop duo tell us how a visual style guide shapes every new release
Few Indian independent music acts have developed as strong a visual aesthetic as Parekh & Singh, the duo comprising Dubai-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nischay Parekh and Kolkata-residing drummer Jivraj Singh, whose vibrant wardrobe and Wes Anderson-esque videos are as bright and distinct as their pristine pop compositions. The release of their new video this week, for “Down At The Sky” from their second album Science City, is then as great an opportunity as any to catch up with the pair over a Zoom call and talk about its making, get an update on their third LP, and Singh’s recently-launched solo Hindi project, Nishu.
Edited excerpts:
The video for “Down At The Sky” doesn’t have a director credit. When and where was it filmed?
Parekh: We made this video a while ago, in 2018. We always have multiple things going on at the same time so we were looking for a window to release it. It was all shot in Kolkata, against a green screen.
Singh: It was quite DIY. It was just the cinematographer (Rusha Bose) and us on set. [She used] some references that Nischay had sent, and the video kind of directed itself. We shot ourselves playing through the song and the edit (by Rajdeep Mitra) put something together in terms of the flow. The intention was to have us in the various colour combinations and show the visual world of the album and not get into any storytelling.
The colour palette is a little different from the vintage look that we have seen before. How did you decide upon it?
Parekh: Before we embark on the visual journey of any project, we always have a style guide or a specific rulebook almost, for each album. For both our albums, we worked with UK company Zip Design. I think the conversation [happened back] during the Ocean album cycle. [For that] we did pastels. They said the obvious next move is to do primary colours. That’s what we’ve explored [on the artwork and videos for the songs from Science City]. That’s why we even made new suits from [tailors] Barkat Ali and Brothers [in Kolkata]
How has the working style changed with Nischay moving from Kolkata to Dubai?
Parekh: I moved here at the end of January 2019. Even when we were living close to each other, it was always the case of Jivraj or me emailing or Dropboxing [each other] something. Our working style has probably become more efficient and streamlined. We’re better at file organisation and things like Zoom and WhatsApp. There’s a lot of easy, fluid conversation. The last time we [actually] jammed together was when Jivraj visited me in Dubai earlier this year, before the lockdown. That element is always fun. But just jamming through technology also has become a process of…“These are some ideas I’ve tried”, “Send it over”…that exchange has become way quicker and more efficient while being in different cities.
Singh: That ping-pong approach has definitely been more our style than spending a lot of time jamming, [which] is more fun and relaxation and goofing around. This back and forth file sharing and working on stuff on our own has been more productive.
How far have you progressed on the new album?
Parekh: It’s hard to put a number on it but I would say we are 67 per cent loaded.
Singh: I was going to say 30 per cent.
Parekh: (Laughs) We obviously have different viewpoints on how far along we are in the process. The only reason I’m saying 67 per cent is because compositionally, a lot of the songs are in place. We’ve actually recorded quite a few songs. That’s something new for us because, in the past, we’ve always finished everything and then mixed, mastered and post-produced together. In this case, we’re going one song at a time. Next year at some point is realistically when [the album] will come out.
Is there a specific sound and theme to the next record?
Parekh: With Science City, I felt a lot of it was driven by sound design. It was like a sonic statement more than a narrative statement. With this album, I’ve sort of revisited the headspace I was in on [our debut] Ocean. I’m writing songs that are going to sound good with just an acoustic guitar and a drum kit.
It feels like I’ve worked a little bit harder to write these songs than I did for Science City. That just happened more in a stream of consciousness. The basic core of the themes on the new album is just pure imagination. It’s kind of revisiting some of the themes I was exploring on Ocean, of the realm of human imagination, and how it relates to our relationships whether romantic or just friendly. There are quite a few personal songs, some very direct narratives about my relationships. I’ve also been talking to Jivraj over these years and being such a close friend of his I’ve inadvertently picked up a lot from his relationships, obviously from a third-person point of view, and dropped those ideas into the songs [as well].
Nischay, what made you start your Hindi project, Nishu?
Parekh: One day, I just woke up with this Hindi lyric in my head. That was all that it took for me to say, ‘This is the first time that this has happened so let me follow this idea to the extent I feel it can go.’ Jivraj hasn’t been involved in the making of the music but he’s making a video for the second song, which should be out in a few weeks. If we ever take the project live, which we’re planning to, he will be involved on stage.
How different is the process of writing in Hindi?
Parekh: It’s turning out to be quite similar. With the Hindi project, I was interested in trying to explore a few different themes that I wouldn’t or haven’t explored with Parekh & Singh. Sonically, visually, Parekh & Singh has its own world and set of ideas and rules. The preparation and process for each are different. Even collaboratively. I work with Zubin Aroz, a producer friend in Dubai, on the music [for Nishu]. For the two songs [I’ve written so far], we were actually in the same room jamming.
I’m quite collaborative with the Hindi songwriting. With Parekh & Singh, I’m a little more precious because I already know what I want to say so I just write it and present it. I don’t feel I’m as good a Hindi writer. I have a lot to learn. I’m always going and asking either my girlfriend or other people, “What do you think of this lyric? Does it make sense?”.
Garima Obrah, a lyricist whom I connected with over Instagram, has been like a coach/collaborator. It’s been fun to work with her and understand that writing lyrics in Hindi at least in a traditional sense is very different to the modern style of writing free-flowing lyrics for Parekh & Singh.
Also read:
Watch Madame Gandhi’s female-powered music video celebrating Indian fashion
