Dark Circle Factory Showcases Experiments, Grooves on Upcoming Double Album ‘Exhibit’

In the six years since the release of his Dark Circle Factory’s collab-heavy 2014 double album Positive, Mumbai drummer and producer Lindsay D’Mello has often gone full speed ahead with sessions work behind the kit as well as touring with the high-energy electro-funk/jam trio DCF Shapes.

D’Mello, who has spent a bulk of his quarantine period sharpening his production and video editing skills to release songs for a new double-sided album called Exhibit, says, “To get back to Dark Circle Factory and me as a solo composer-producer, I need to basically go into my cave.” In November, Dark Circle Factory’s hip-hop/jazz-informed first drop off Exhibit arrived with “Good Vibes,” featuring D’Mello’s go-to artist friends such as rapper Illa Straight, Melbourne-based bassist Sonu Sangameswaran, guitarist Paresh Kamath (also his bandmate in rock band Bombay Black) and percussionist Vibhas Rahul.

Earlier this month, the second release from Exhibit was the title track, a shimmering, groovy instrumental song featuring guitarists Tyrone Fernandes and Sidharth Archrekar (from rock band Colourblind) and keyboardist Abhijit Nalani. Like “Good Vibes,” Dark Circle Factory brings in a heady danceable beat to “Exhibit” as well, but then it all intentionally goes haywire as it spirals to a close. This is why it’s on the B-Side of the record while “Good Vibes” is on the A-Side.

Watch the video for “Good Vibes” here. Stream on more platforms here.

The drummer and producer says about the differentiation, which is also found on Positive, “It’s quite contrasting. The A-Side, it’s meant to have more vocals and be accessible and perhaps my effort to make mainstream songs. The B-Side is more experimental. I have the liberty to do what the fuck I want to do.”

In many ways, even compared to the previous release in 2014, a double album is an anomaly. D’Mello agrees that the world is a different place and he isn’t going to print physical CDs or even expect people to go through an entire album in one sitting. Tentatively looking at nine tracks on both sides, Exhibit will be released track by track with visual accompaniments. “This is quite an experiment for me as well, you know, cutting videos and putting my stuff on social media, which I’m pretty much doing myself,” D’Mello says.

One thing that’s being carried forward from Positive, however, are the collaborators. The artist confirms that the likes of vocalist Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy (from hardcore band Scribe), guitarist-producer Randolph Correia (from Pentagram and Shaa’ir + Func), bassist JD aka Jaideep Thirumalai and Kamath (from Bombay Black) will feature on upcoming material. D’Mello likens his collaboration picks to a casting method of sorts, figuring out who will work best. His next single, for example, will feature Mumbai vocalist Azamaan Hoyvoy.

With one or two tracks expected each month, D’Mello’s hard at work in quarantine, even as he juggles family life and other projects. And Dark Circle Factory is a different beast. “I’m sitting on my computer and figuring out chords, playing keys and doing these other things. Not so much drumming at the forefront. It’s me more as a producer. So it’s sort of nice, it’s been a learning curve and I’m enjoying myself,” he says.

Listen to “Exhibit” below. Stream on more platforms here.