Exclusive Premiere: Composer Prateek Rajagopal’s Volatile Chamber Composition ‘Rub’ al Khali’

The way composer-guitarist Prateek Rajagopal explains it, “metal is just in my DNA at this point.” He’s referring to his latest composition “Rub’ al Khali,” which is a striking, somewhat unsettling piece he wrote with nostalgia and mystique in mind.

Created in December 2020 as an ode to the 18 years Rajagopal spent growing up in Oman, “Rub’ al Khali” (which translates to “empty quarter”) is performed by L.A. group Salastina’s Kevin Kumar on violin, alongside musicians Meredith Crawford (viola), Yoshika Masuda (cello) and Ben Smolen (flute). Rajagopal was picked for Salastina’s Sounds Promising program, where young composers are trained and offered to have their work performed by the group.

Rajagopal – who has a prog project HOIA and has been chief riffsmith for death metal band Gutslit and instrumental act The Minerva Conduct – wrote “Rub’ al Khali” under the mentorship of Los Angeles-based concert composer Derrick Skye. Rajagopal adds about translating his feelings into sound, “There’s also a strong mystery attached to never-ending sands. Just like the ocean, to me the deserts also seem to have been unexplored completely by humans, and that sounds crazy.”

He created a story and composed the piece by visualizing an Arab prince who sets out to search the desert for power. “Only to end up in a total downward spiral where he meets occultists and finds a mysterious hidden palace,” Rajagopal adds. Appropriately, there’s slow, delicate violin and flute portions which soon give way to a harrowing, fast-paced portion of “messed up rhythms” and the composer leaves a lot hanging in the air for interpretation.

A few years into moving to the U.S. to pursue music for screen, Rajagopal notes with pride that his film music career has taken off. He’s working with composers on Hollywood projects and writing for shows. Rajagopal adds, “So it’s 16 to 18 hour work days, but all worth it. This is what I wanted — to be a part of a complex team working on big projects, with constant learning and evolution at the highest possible level.”

Watch the video for “Rub’ al Khali” below.