Hear Jaimin’s Wholesome Debut Album ‘Cutting Loose’
The Kolkata singer-songwriter has called upon a host of artists to feature on the record
Mumbai-born and Kolkata-bred singer-songwriter Jaimin. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Mumbai-born and Kolkata-bred singer-songwriter Jaimin Rajani – who goes by his first name – only had a strong desire to pick up the guitar at the age of 23. Inspired by artists such as The Doors, Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard and Freddie Mercury, he says, “The guitar seemed like the most accessible one [instrument], I think, because of how ubiquitous it already was.” Having written songs over the past six years, Jaimin is now out with his 14-track debut album, Cutting Loose.
Production on the record began in 2020, and Jaimin says, “My friend Subharaj Ghosh came on board to work with me initially as the lead guitarist but ended up being the other half of this project. He has engineered the album and made it his own in order to bring it to fruition.”
The songs on Cutting Loose, according to the artist, are about “conflicts, disappointments and departure.” The longest song on the album for instance, “She,” is an eight-and-a-half minute long plaintive yet wistful description of a lady in the life of the songwriter. It sounds incredibly multi-faceted with a hundred attributes enumerated in tuneful verse by Jaimin. The protagonist’s effect on the lyricist is full of imagination – put to tune – and is suggestive of a deeply subjective outpouring. The tune is lilting and makes the lyrics approachable. One feels compelled to listen again and again to enjoy the nuances. This “she” is described as a heck of a lady! An example from the lyrics: “She’s one of a kind, she conquered my mind, she is a secret that cannot be kept.”
Jaimin has also called upon a number of fellow musicians to feature on the album. Rahul Ram (of Indian Ocean), Ralph Pais (Savages), Abhay Sharma (The Revisit Project), Billy Cardine, Deepak Castelino and Arka Chakraborty among others all contribute stupendously to the LP, in addition to drummers Aniruddha Saha and Arjun Chakraborty. “The album is a collaborative project, of course, and I can’t thank them enough for coming forward to help,” Jaimin says.
Cutting Loose was recorded at his friend’s apartment located in the periphery of Kolkata, which made it quieter to track. The singer-songwriter says, “I was there all by myself with no assistance or experience in recording whatsoever. So, it was a slow and frustrating process to learn from scratch and figure things out.”
Now, Jaimin’s focus is fully on promoting the album. “I feel that marketing is just as crucial as composing and producing. If it’s not done with just as much fervor as an artist puts into creating, all efforts can go in vain,” he says. Looking ahead, the musician is keen on exploring newer styles and sounds. “If everything goes as planned, I might release a couple of singles next year,” Jaimin says.
Stream ‘Cutting Loose’ on Spotify below and on other platforms:
