Listen: Delhi/Hyderabad Electro-Acoustic Project Meattle & Malik’s New Single
How a pop song called “She Can,” performed at a wedding, turned into their second single
(left) Raghav Meattle (Photo: Monisha Ajgaonkar) and (right) Nikhil Malik (Photo: Dhruv Sethi)
Whether it’s international bands like prog metallers Skyharbor, noise rock band Hoirong or jazz grime duo Sridhar/Thayil or Delhi/Hyderabad electro-acoustic duo Meattle & Malik, it’s passé for bands to function without all its band members in the same city.
Comprising Hyderabad-based vocalist-guitarist Raghav Meattle and Delhi-based producer Nikhil Malik, Meattle & Malik released a single earlier this year and are now ready with another tune, except Meattle has absolutely no idea that it releases today. The second single titled “She Can” is a pop-leaning song, which was written earlier this year, again, without Meattle knowing about it. Why is it such a big secret? Malik reasons that he wants the song to be a surprise for his band mate. He adds, “I have absolutely no clue what’s going through his [Meattle] mind right now. Last I spoke to him, I told him that I’m going to scrap this tune and he sounded very alarmed because the song means a lot to him.”
“She Can” was originally performed by the duo at Meattle’s sister’s wedding this year. Says Malik, “We hadn’t rehearsed the song and we just kinda winged it for the event. That was our first gig ever. We worked on it extensively and finished recording it during his three-day trip to Delhi.” The producer, who runs StudioFuzz in Delhi alongwith guitarist Arsh Sharma [from experimental rock band The Circus] and drummer Srijan Mahajan [from rock band Parikrama], got Mahajan to mix the track and play drums on it as well.
The band members say they’ve been overwhelmed by the response for their last single, “Since Memories Remain,” which released in February. With Meattle’s work commitments and location, Malik says they don’t try to write or record too many songs. “We just stick with one song and try to make it the best song we could ever write.”
When asked whether the duo will ever perform outside of their one wedding appearance, Malik jokes he has big plans. “I can’t say anything about the live scene yet but whenever we do it, it’ll be with at least a 10 piece orchestra, crazy visuals and some strippers onstage. That’s how I envision it for now.”
Listen to “She Can” here
