Harsha Iyer’s ‘When It’s Time’

[easyreview cat1title=”When It’s Time” cat1rating=”3.5″]

Harsha Iyer’s first outtake of a double album feature, When It’s Time [Part One] is dreamy, poetic and dramatic all at once. In 11 songs, Iyer’s songwriting recalls the storytelling styles of Broadway directors such as John Barry [Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland] and of course, his consistent inspiration Hans Zimmer. The 20-year-old Chennai musician and producer doesn’t write simple songs, but creates scores.

While his 2011 debut Curious Toys was a post-punk, catchy, groove-driven album ”“ When

When It’s Time

It’s Time is a story. Iyer has employed his keyboard variously not just as a piano, but also the effects board amply to create brooding bass notes, hollowing church organ passages and theatrical violin transitions. The rapid mood changes from one song to another mimic story narration. What inhibits the listener’s experience is perhaps the naïve lyricism that doesn’t seem to match the wonderfully orchestrated sonic experience. What is commendable though is that Iyer created all these layers in his bedroom studio where he sang, recorded, mixed and mastered the entire album. If anything, When It’s Time [Part One] is a fabulous teaser of the genius that Iyer could be.