Bandcamp Friday: Aqua Dominatrix, Advaita, Three Oscillators and More

It’s the first Friday of the month, which gives fans and patrons a very good reason to head to Bandcamp for their now-regular affair Bandcamp Friday. Going strong on the tide of millions of dollars that go directly to the artist – the music platform waives its share of revenue for 24 hours – Bandcamp Friday allows us to spotlight new and noteworthy releases from India.

Three Oscillators – Disintegration

Mumbai-based producer Brij Dalvi brings together glitch-hop and experimental hues as Three Oscillators, on the new EP Disintegration. Songs like “Happy Accidents” are domineering yet it leans back into chill territory. “Sensory Euphoria” builds up to what now sounds like a signature, glitchy Three Oscillators sound, while the title track “Disintegration” taps into trip-hop and R&B, while retaining its mechanical edge.

Antariksh – “Kaisi Ye Jeet?”

New Delhi act Antariksh’s founder and principal songwriter Varun Rajput conjures grandiose prog to introspect on the nature of India’s supposed claimed victory over Covid-19. A description for the song says, “‘Kaisi Ye Jeet?’ was born from a place of questioning the meaning of ‘Victory’ and its significance when the war itself creates irrevocable damages, regardless of its result.”

Aqua Dominatrix – Scvra/Ovscvra

Mumbai producer and synth fiend Aqua Dominatrix aka Akshay Rajpurohit has released his fourth collection of songs, titled Scvra/Ovscvra, including his 2020 single “Saturn Seduction” (which receives a ‘Europa Mix’). His latest is a five-track deep dive into dancefloor-ruling synth hits and techno. Music like “Mauerbauertraurigkeit (Redux)” and “Machiavellian” digs right into a entrancing tempo, while there’s a calmer, introspective flow heard on “Lohv” and “Saudade.”

Serpents of Pakhangba – “The Silence of Day”

The first new material from Mumbai-based avant-garde act Serpents of Pakhangba is cinematic and measured, which is apt considering it was released viaNo Binary to accompany a short film made by Niranjan Raghu. Featuring new vocalist Tanushree Saha (plus Karbi vocals from Phuningding Katharpo), the band builds up to bring in doom-informed riffs to stay true to their heavy roots.

RAK – Kaalai EP

Mumbai-based Tamil hip-hop artist RAK aka Rajkumar Udaiyar struts through his debut EP Kaalai with total resolve. Rapping entirely in Tamil, there are party-ready bops like “Local Kaiyye,” “Crazy MF” and “Tamil Walk,” plus the debilitating “Tsunami.” RAK shows off production prowess as well, like on the percussion-heavy “Kolaru Pasanga.”

Advaita – Unison – Live at the OddBird Theatre

New Delhi fusion band Advaita have spent a few years composing and performing new material, mostly in the capital. While we’re yet to see a follow-up to luminous albums like Grounded In Space (2009) and The Silent Sea (2012), the band has steadily released singles recorded at a live performance at OddBird Theatre. Captivating songs like “In The Air,” “Kaahe Na Laage,” “Kaise Dharoon Dheer” and “Milan” are paired with one of their earliest favorites, “Gates of Dawn” in this new EP.

Various Artists – Jaljeera – Flavours of the East

Krunk Kulture’s fourth compilation from the Flavours of the East series is called Jaljeera. Across 21 tracks, the label run by music management company KRUNK brings together artists from India, Sri Lanka, Japan and the U.S., showcasing house, leftfield bass, electro and more. With one song out right now – Himay’s exuberant track “Farz” – the full compilation is releasing on November 12th, featuring Arjun Vagale, noni-mouse, Rafiki, Oceantied and more.