Guitarist Susmit Sen Ready To Launch His Second Solo Album
The former Indian Ocean guitarist’s new album, which features a collaborative track with former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, will release in August
The Susmit Sen Chronicles. Photo: courtesy of the band
Turns out that Susmit Sen doesn’t have an obsession with oceans and water bodies. While the former Indian Ocean guitarist’s 2011 debut album was called Depths of the Ocean, the new release is titled Ocean to Ocean. Sen is quick to assure that the title is only coincidental and not a reference to his former band or a sequel to his previous album.
Sen explains the album takes its title from his collaboration with British rock band Whitesnake’s former guitarist Bernie Marsden. Sen originally jammed with Marsden two years ago, and co-composed the song “Ocean to Ocean.” Apart from Marsden, however, the album is a band effort by the Susmit Sen Chronicles, unlike Depths of the Ocean, which included vocalists such as Shubha Mudgal, Assamese folk artist Papon and rock veterans Parikrama’s Nitin Malik. Says Sen, “The cohesiveness has changed. There’s far more involvement with all the members.” The Susmit Sen Chronicles comprises drummer Nikhil Vasudevan [from reggae/ska band The Ska Vengers], bassist Anirban Ghosh [formerly of metallers Prestorika and now part of jazz/blues band Grey Area], tabla player Varun Gupta [from alt rock band Sage and the Comets] and vocalists Amit Sharma and Sudhir Rikhari. Sonically, Ocean to Ocean is almost as meditative as Depths of the Ocean, with exceptions such as the upbeat Latin American-influenced groovy first single “Bongingon,” which features Hungarian accordion player Orosz Zoltan, and the folk rock track “Serendipity.”
Sen and the band began recording Ocean to Ocean in October last year and finished in March. The band also road-tested new material such as “Neptune’s Dance” and their first single “Bongingon” minus any vocals. While “Bongingon” included Zoltan and Marsden features on the title track, Sen says both tracks sound different live, compared to the studio versions. Says Sen, “I’d love to do ”˜Ocean To Ocean’ with Bernie live, but I don’t know where or when that will happen. It’s a different composition without him.”
Susmit Sen Chronicles launch Ocean to Ocean on August 2nd at Striker, Gurgaon. Entry: TBA.
Listen to “Bongingon” here
