Abhibyanjana Rubhi Thatal Offers Sonic Bliss on Debut EP ‘Breezing Through’

It was in music that singer-songwriter Abhibyanjana Rubhi Thatal found solace while growing up in Gangtok. The artist would sing along to her father’s record collection as a kid and soon began learning classical guitar and writing her own songs too. “It was always a personal exercise, but when I moved to Pune for my undergraduate degree, I began sharing more of my music, and since then, I’ve been taking baby steps in releasing music, one song at a time.” Thatal’s first release was in 2018 with the bluesy single “Groovy Girl.” That was followed up with the ethereal “Winter Love” in 2021 and the soulful “Shampoo Bottle” in 2022.  

Currently based in Mumbai pursuing a post-graduate degree and music, the artist recently released her three-track debut EP Breezing Through. 

Work on the record began in 2021 and was initially meant to include five songs. However, Thatal says, “I cut it down to three [as they] were sonically more similar.” The singer-songwriter worked with producer Tapanjyoti Phukan and sound engineer Rahul Rabha. To this day, Thatal has never met Phukan in person. She says, “We sent drafts to each other and worked our entire way in this EP through virtual collaboration. I would record demos, and he would send his demos, and it went back and forth.”  

Breezing Through opens with the elegant title track which Thatal admits to being one of the first songs she ever penned as a teenager. “This song marks a cusp and a yearning for something more in life. Full of romance and optimism, well-suited for a high schooler at that point,” she says. The record then moves to the dreamy “Honestly.” According to the musician, “The song is like rummaging through scattered thoughts, taking time to pause, and truly laying bare the cavity of fears that I constantly struggle with but find difficult to admit.” On the luxuriant EP closer “River,” Thatal sings about the landscape of trees and valleys in Gangtok. “Like the river, the song is also about letting something pass by,” she says.  

Overall, the EP features stellar production with plenty of sonic embellishments across the three songs. Thatal paints a beautiful picture through her lyrics while also delivering a strong and polished vocal performance throughout. The artist says, “The EP is a constant attempt to burst at the seams and being contained at the same time. I’d describe my musical journey that way as well. The three songs in the EP were written at different stages in my life.” 

There’s more new music on the way as well as a music video from Thatal as she readies her next single called “Hues of my Longing” in collaboration with Assam/Mumbai artist Neon Leaf. “I want to keep creating more music and authentic ways to express my experiences. I want to change and experiment with the soundscape that has been created so far in my music and do something different now,” says the singer. She’s also keen to get on stage and play live shows as well. “This is definitely just the beginning for me,” says Thatal.  

Stream ‘Breezing Through’ on Spotify below and on other platforms.