Pune’s Cat Kamikazee Launch Debut EP ‘Raining Cats’

Pune post-rock/prog band Cat Kamikazee. Photo: Mayuri Deshmukh

What do cats and post-rock have in common? Personality, we’re told. Bassist of Pune post-rock band Cat Kamikazee Sameer Deshmukh says, “We think cats have a personality you can’t really compartmentalize.” Guitarist Ameya Deshpande is quick to add, “They can be mean and nice, you never know. They’ve got this multi-dimensional personality. They’re playful at first but might have a dark aspect. That’s kind of how our songs go.”

Backing up that claim is the four-track Raining Cats EP, which released last week. It’s a spaced-out gathering of all their influences–from the progressive rock of Karnivool and Tool to instrumental rock by Explosions In The Sky, Mogwai and more. Cat Kamikazee ”“ which also comprises drummer Kunal Rohit and guitarist Ranjit Khare ”“ came together in late 2015, after they’d played in a cover band with their music teacher. Soon the band also jumped down the rabbit hole of modern prog. Deshmukh says, “Post-rock bands like Aswekeepsearching and Celestial Teapot were also making waves [at the time], which was amazing.” The bassist says their music was born out of “offering a middle ground between the simplistic rock we played and the intricate, intensive post-rock and prog rock” they were discovering.

It was easy convincing a venue like Blue Frog Pune to host them, considering they’ve been open to programming instrumental rock bands like Mumbai’s Fraunikus and Celestial Teapot in the past, but now, Cat Kamikazee are stepping out. After playing at the newly launched gig series Generation WHY in Mumbai last evening, the band heads to Bengaluru next month, joining Celestial Teapot at Indigo Live Music Bar on February 16th and the Zero Gravity Bouldering and Music festival in Hampi on February 18th. Deshmukh says, “We pulled out of college competitions and decided to go ahead and gig.”

Listen to Raining Cats EP here.