Hear Pune Rock Artist Collin Francis’ Glowing Song ‘Withered’

A regular in the Pune live circuit for about a decade, singer-producer Collin Francis has led alt-rock acts like Knotty Hella and prog-blues band Flux, plus his own group, The Francis Collective. More recently, he also joined prog duo Lotus as their first-ever vocalist.

Francis’ solo material has also seen development along the way, which started in 2018 with his single “In Another World.” In August, he released his third solo single “Withered,” showcasing a songwriting dynamic that swerves between pensive prog and bluesy guitar work, heightened by Francis’ distinctive vocals.

The artist says regardless of the style of music with several projects, he often begins fleshing out ideas on an acoustic guitar, which helps compose vocals. “After that, I record a demo with my phone or any basic recorder and then I sit on my computer and track it properly with what I think is appropriate tones and sounds for the track,” he says about his process.

Playing the track to other producers and getting their inputs also helps Francis along the way. “Withered” was mixed and mastered by Shubham Gurung, formerly of post-rock band aswekeepsearching. “He’s extremely talented and I’m grateful that I got a chance to work with someone like him,” Francis says of Gurung.

There are two more solo singles set for release next year and a couple of collaborative songs also coming out, including a hip-hop track. Heavier music with Lotus is also in the works. Francis says, “I do have a few diverse interests when it comes to music because I do sincerely believe that you have to be open to everything that feels good to be able to express yourself well. I don’t like limiting myself in any way.”

Listen to “Withered” below.