Hear Metallers Darcligt’s Collab-Heavy Debut Album ‘Indigenous Theory’
A total of 16 musicians and five visual designers worked on the eight-track record, including members of rock and metal acts like Daira, Abraxas, Across Seconds and more
Mumbai metal project Darcligt founder Anand Iyer (top row, top left) with the collaborators on their new album 'Indigenous Theory.' Photo: Courtesy of the artist
After the rigmarole of lineup shuffles and time constraints through the first two years of creating Darcligt in 2018, guitarist-composer Anand Iyer decided – out of frustration – that he would seek out collaborations. He says, “I was on the verge of giving up music as I had lost all my confidence and spark for creating anything. But I am lucky to have a few good people around me who asked me to give it one last try.”
Iyer recorded and uploaded a video in July last year seeking out collaborators, a step that he’s glad he took. At the end of it, the Mumbai metal project pulled in 16 musicians and five designers for the audio and visual concept album Indigenous Theory, released on May 20th. Across eight tracks which inject pummeling rhythms, visceral metal as well as finessed prog, Indigenous Theory features Iyer’s long-time friend Priyyank Kotian, Jackson Lopez and Deep Ramkumar on vocals, bassists such as Djunk, Emmanuel D’souza, Sharan Nair, Soumitra Vichare and Mitish Amin and a total of eight drummers. Iyer adds, “The whole writing and recording for the album took us roughly about seven months to finish, since most of the collaborators had their own workspace it was definitely an added advantage.” The album was mixed and mastered by ace multi-instrumentalist and producer Vishal J. Singh.
The Hindi-English opening track “Aakasha” sprawls in metal grandiosity, with drummer Saurav Dutta (who, along with Iyer and Priyyank were part of metal band Dionysian). Pune metal band Abraxas’ drummer Naman Sachdev heaps on the assault on “The Reticent,” an all-out chaotic offering. Darcligt’s focus shifts to familiar modern prog on “Uns,” featuring rock band Raahie’s drummer Sujit Chavan. The more wavier, nu-metal leaning “Another Day” charges forward with Evan Shimron on drums, while prog/post-rock band Across Seconds’ Karan Mehta is behind the kit for the instrumental djent track “Xero.” Guitarist Toshimoa Jamir is called on for a searing solo along with Daira drummer Pratik Kulgod on “Anitya,” a roving, diverse track.
Mumbai sound engineer and drummer Pritesh Prabhune aka Prabhuneigh ramps up the dissonance on the mosh pit-ready “Rapid Eye Movement.” The record closes with the electronic-informed “Samsara,” the only track on Indigenous Theory helmed entirely by Iyer. To give different songs their own visual aesthetic with lyrical references, Darcligt enlisted designers such as Vinita, Priyanka Beltangadi, Sreya Majumdar, Amita Dongre and Aaron Mathews for artwork.
With the album out now, Iyer says he wants to keep the energy alive by releasing videos as well as merchandize. “The pre-production for Album II might begin by the end of this year. There are plans and ideas that I have thought for Album II, it’s surely going to be very interesting and more artistic,” the guitarist-producer adds.
Listen to ‘Indigenous Theory’ below, buy the album here and stream on more platforms here.
