Bandcamp Friday: Five Indian Artists and Labels To Support
Check out new music from producer-guitarist Randolph Correia’s project Girls on Canvas, producer-singer Prabh Deep’s sublime album ‘Tabia’ and more
Mumbai musician Randolph Correia. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
To kick off March, Bandcamp Friday is here again and we’ve got a roundup of new and recent releases that range from electronic to hip-hop, rock and more. Until 1 pm IST tomorrow, you can buy or pre-order these albums and all the money paid will go directly to the artists, without Bandcamp taking their usual fee.
Prabh Deep – Tabia
The second album by New Delhi-based heavy-hitter producer and rapper/singer Prabh Deep is Tabia, a dive deep of 15 songs, genre-fluid music that’s sometimes friendly and other times like a rollercoaster drop. If India never had a meditative hip-hop album before, then Tabia can gladly occupy that space, with Prabh Deep being introspective and soul-bearing like few others.
Hybrid Protokol – Sounds in Place II
In the electronic music game since 2015, Kolkata duo Hybrid Protokol scale progressive house rhythms once again for their new record Sounds in Place II. The album takes its name from the 2018 predecessor, which was a three-track EP. Founded in intriguing atmospheric synth loops, there’s a certain cinematic nature to the way Soumajit Ghosh and Aneesh Basu construct their compositions, dabbling in Middle Eastern samples on “Lost in Hejaz” and familiar future-leaning dance music (“All Gone All Wrong”) as well as drone-inflected experiments like “Explorations.”
Various Artists – Merge Emerge – A Convergence Of Electronic Music From India And Norway
A bi-lateral collaboration between India and Norway, 18 artists from both countries appear on 13 songs on Merge Emerge, which is comprised of electronic music producers. Put together by Oslo-based curator/journalist Endre Dalen and New Delhi producer/writer Audio Pervert aka Samrat B and released in January, the compilation shines a light on Indian artists such as Pulpy Shilpy, Jamblu, Paraphoniks with singer Azamaan Hoyvoy, Hybrid Protokol and Audio Pervert himself.
Girls on Canvas – Lo
Guitarist, producer and visual artist Randolph Correia’s recent project Girls on Canvas likely has something for everyone – there’s groovy dub, hectic electronica, jazz and just a smidge of rock that’s captured across 10 tracks. Released on the Krunk Kulture imprint, Lo is every bit a formidable artist statement from Correia, who continues to shapeshift out from his roles in rock band Pentagram, electro-pop duo Shaa’ir + Func and even hip-hop artist DIVINE.
Arogya – Genesis
With their first single “Broken” released in January, Assam’s dark synth rock group Arogya introduced fans to their upcoming album Genesis. Coming out via German label Out of Line music, the band are currently prepping to release their second single “Dust” on March 11th. It’s all building up to the album drop on April 23rd and we’re likely to hear synth-infused, metal-leaning anguished heavy music from the quintet.
