Bombay Bandook Turn to Dance-Rock with Dexterity on ‘Yaman’

After about a year and a half, Mumbai alternative band Bombay Bandook return with their new single “Yaman,” the seventh song in a series which interprets raagas.

While their previous release “Azad” explored a darker, intense space both sonically and visually, “Yaman” – based on eponymous raag – presents a playful, disco-pop and rock-informed sound. Drummer Nachiket Karekar makes plenty of room for rhythms, filled with Tushar Lall’s bright synth work and bassist Jagravi Rao working in snaps and pops to keep things buoyant. Vocalist Sannidh Shah is sublime in his classical vocals, surprising us with his virtuosic range when you least expect it.

The band says in a statement that “Yaman” is a romantic song, but concerns itself with living in the moment and “experiencing the love and joy from it.” The shiny groove of things are evident from guitarists Avneesh Gadgil and Brijesh Joshi’s free-wheeling funky fretwork, which floats along joyfully.

In the music video by filmmakers Rhea Talati and Ritvik Tyagi, Bombay Bandook are seen at their fun-loving as well as focused best, with motifs of time and celebration. The band – who have worked with Talati and Tyagi on all their music videos – say visual narratives have always been a means to “integrate stories and ideas” suited to each song.

The band adds that making the music video pushed them out of their comfort zone, which was something they trusted Talati and Tyagi with. “Every Bandook song is extremely individual too, they’re all very unique and each one has a lot of distinct substance to work with. With ‘Yaman’ the idea was amplifying a certain special moment in time but also making it jovial and fun for a change,” the band adds in their email interview.

The release of “Yaman” has provided the band “much needed impetus to get our creative juices back on track.” Bombay Bandook adds, “Working through the pandemic and getting this song out itself was quite the task by itself, but we are optimistic about it. We have written several new pieces in the handful of times that we got to jam as well, and we’re really happy how they’re shaping up. You’ll see Bandook go all out, like never before.”

Watch the video for “Yaman” below. Stream on Spotify, Apple Music and JioSaavn.