Listen: Mumbai Folk Fusion Band Aankh Micholi’s Debut EP ‘Aao Khele’

In late 2015, students at Mumbai”™s True School of Music (TSM); bassist Hansel Dias, guitarist Pankaj Pathe, drummer Bharat Chandore, keyboardist Akshay Dabhadkar and vocalist/guitarist Osho Jain began jamming together at TSM “just for fun” as Aankh Micholi. The group only took themselves seriously once they started playing live and people began to appreciate their music. Now the Mumbai folk fusion band is out with their debut five-track EP, Aao Khele.

Aankh Micholi focus on writing thematic songs that they hope resonate with people. Dias explains, “When we began composing songs together we experimented a lot with ideas, genres and blending them together to create a fresh new sound for ourselves.” That”™s precisely what the Mumbai-based outfit has gone and done on their EP ”“ there are soaring rock tracks, ballads as well as folk fusion delights.

Aao Khele opens with the pop-leaning “Sun Kabira” and Dias says, “[the song] shares some important tips on life in a folky-fun way.” “Bindiya Tori” is a folksy love song while the riff heavy “Sacchai,” according to the bassist, “puts you on a quest for truth.” Aankh Micholi also bring out their funny side with the pure rock driven “Bablu Ki Shaadi” which is a witty take on arranged marriages. The record closes with the melancholic “Ghoome Re,” dedicated to Mumbai”™s fast paced life.

A chunk of the record was tracked at Jain”™s home studio (Baawla Studios) while drums were recorded at the city-based Island City Studios. The EP was mixed by Island City Studios”™ own Jehangir Jehangir and mastered by U.K.-based Martin Merenyi, apart from “Bindiya Tori” that was recorded at Thane”™s Benchmark Studios and mixed and mastered by Ariel Samson.

At their EP launch last month at Mumbai”™s Above The Habitat, Aankh Micholi redecorated the venue to make it look like a mela (fair). “It was one of the best gigs we”™ve played as a band so far,” says Dias. Next, the band plans to take the mela to more cities in May and will release a few music videos. Dias says, “We can”™t wait to show people what more we have in store for them.”

Stream ‘Aao Khele’ below: