Lucid Recess Return with New Album

Lucid Recess. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

Taking a cue from Kolkata-based electronica outfit Zoo, who released their debut album on a USB flash drive back in 2012, alt-rockers Lucid Recess recently released their third full-length album Alive and Aware on a pen-drive. But more than being a decent attempt at a marketing stunt, the 11-track release marks the band’s return after a five-year lull. The alt-rock trio has been at it ever since the release of Engraved Invitations [2010], penning songs soon after they put out the debut album. However, recording only began in mid- 2014 in their Lucid Recess Studios, and was completed by December. Says vocalist/bassist Amitabh Barooa, “By around 2013, we were ready with more or less the entire album. But we got very caught up with the studio work, recording and producing other bands, and somehow the album kept getting pushed. Before we knew it, a long time had gone by!”

“The basic concept of the album is our relationship with time.”

Lucid Recess, who recorded local metal bands such as Shades of Retribution and Silver Tears [fronted by Girish Pradhan of rock band Girish and the Chronicles] during this period, have returned with a more progressive sound on Alive and Aware, evident on tracks like “The Clock That Is Us” and “Madness”. The album also sees more involvement from drummer Parth Boro in the songwriting process. While their debut EP Carved [2007] dealt with a variety of social and political issues, Alive and Aware subtly hints towards more personal subjects like love, loss and grief. “The basic concept is our relationship with time; about how when we are young we are too eager to grow up, and when we grow up we are too stubborn to grow old. It also deals with a lot of issues we face by virtue of being human beings ”” like love, loss and grief,” says Barooa.