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Back here to stay
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Vedic Chant returns in a mature avatar
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NOVEMBER 1999. Kya Hai Yeh Jadoo, Vedic Chant's debut album, is released and soars to number three on the Indipop charts, besides hitting the number one spot along the radio stations in the West Asia. A few months later, the band gets featured in the soundtrack of India's first 3-D Video Game, Yodha-The Warrior, in the song, Mere Desh Mein. After a hiatus of four years, the band that put forward a new concept of fusion by combining electronic accomplishments with Indian chant-lines, is back with its second offering, Khushii, (Times Music, CD, Rs. 195).
But, why did the band take so long to release its second album? Sidharth Sharma, producer-cum-composer of the group, replies: "We took our own time to write each song as we didn't want to rush and make a mess of it. I guess the effort definitely shows in the album."
Khushii has eight tracks, which offer many moods and emotions. The first track, Zameen Aasmaan, is aggressive and features some heavy-duty guitar works. Reflecting optimism and energy, the lyrics go: Hum Ko Nahi Yaar Darna, Dil Jo Kahe Who Hi Karna. "The song is about making an energetic and enthusiastic statement. As a band, it reflects our idea of being here to stay," explains Sidharth.
The video single, Dooriyan, has a breezy feel to it. The video of this hummable song has been shot beautifully around Kharjat near Mumbai. Compared to the other songs of Vedic Chant, this track is on the slower side, but the pleasant melody does the trick. "We have tried a little experimenting with tracks like Dooriyan, but when you listen to the folksy Mehaki Mehaki, you will get the feel of the other side of Vedic Chant," says Sidharth. Also part of the troupe are Suhaas, Bernard, Gopaal, and Chandresh. Suhaas composes music, writes lyrics, and "simply adores Shankar Jaikishen and R.D. Burman." Bernard is the bass guitarist, who has grown up listening to the likes of Led Zeppelin and Police. Gopaal is on the drums, and does percussion programming, while Chandresh is the lead guitarist, and occasionally provides backing vocals. With Kya Hai Yeh Jadoo, people noticed their unique blend of music, and with Khushii, the group projects a mature, serious, and meaningful blend of music. Considering the fact that the band has achieved this feat in its second album itself, it would not be too wrong to expect these guys to be in the race for being India's best band group.
"We are here to make a difference and be noticed we have arrived (again), and will stay for a long, long time to come," is the unanimous mantra of the group. Well, let's raise a toast to that!
A. VISHNU
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