Midival Punditz new album sums up their experiences over the years
Mumbai: The Midival Punditz are known for imbibing a heady dose of Indian folk and classical elements in their signature electronic music mould. They are all set to release their fourth studio album Light on April 28. However, as a special treat for their fans here in Mumbai, they will preview the album at the BlueFrog in Lower Parel on April 7.
Speaking to us in the run-up to their preview here, Gaurav Raina, one half of the Punditz shared insights on the genesis of the band and this new album — and even what the duo do when they have a creative disagreement!
Delhi-based Gaurav, and Tapan Raj, were school friends long before they finally decided to form a band. “We always wanted to make music using Indian folk and electronica. Our style of music was always in syncwith each ??in which other,” Gaurav recounts. As for the unusual moniker they chose for their band,? ?“We knew we needed a name with two words, one of them should relate to technology and the other should reflect where we come from – India.? ?We are both Pundits: I’m a ?Kashmiri Pundit and? Tapan is a Punjabi Pundit… ?a?nd Midi is a language used to communicate between synthesizers — to make music?, ?that’s how the name originated,” he explains.
Their new album Light narrates the experiences they have had over these years. “The album has been inspired by our lives, memories of various concerts at different festivals and the theatrics behind it,” Guarav says. While this is their fourth album, we understand that this is their first performance-based concept record where all the nine tracks are in sync with each other, forming a narrative.
The album features musicians such as flautist Pandit Ajay Prasanna, Rajasthani folk stalwart Kutle Khan, ?folk singer Malini Awasthi, American producer Todd Michaelsen, Papon, Baiju Dharmajan, Karan Sharma, drummer Shardul Mehta and Karan Malik to name a few, and it took about a year-and-a-half for Light to take shape. “We had over 25 songs and ideas and we meticulously narrowed those down to nine, which suited the album perfectly,” Gaurav says.
While there are plenty of Indian influences on their new record Gaurav says they’ve leaned towards folk over classical. “Light is our most cohesive and driving album yet. The USP being it has our original, unique and honest sound. It has the Midival electronica tinge to it.”
When bands these days are known to spilt over minor conflicts, the Punditz have been going strong since 18 years. “ When there are two people in the band it’s fairly easy,” says Gaurav. “Our rules are simple: If both of us don’t agree on a particular idea it goes out of the window.”
