Naalayak Release Their Latest Singles Exclusively for Purchase Before Streaming

New Delhi/Chandigarh rock band Naalayak have been hot on the college festival and club circuit across the country for a few years now. Since 2015, the band brought arena-rock to big stages and also released two EPs by 2018 — Main Ka Bukhar and a self-titled EP.

As is the case with all artists in the current coronavirus pandemic, they’ve had shows come to a complete halt, which leaves a big question mark in terms of band income. Drummer Garry Singh Arora tells us that they’re “trying to ensure the longevity” of making and releasing music to fans and it’s become especially important in these times. It’s part of why the first four songs off their next record Hindi Gaane — “Mustafa,” “Nasamajh,” “Befikre” and “Dil-Ae-Raza” — have all been released exclusively via digital music platform OK Listen before it gets distributed to streaming outlets. Arora says, “Primarily, what we’ve come to see in the years we have been active is that the culture of purchase of music has changed and changed drastically.”

He adds that the band hopes to not just give their fans optimism by releasing music in the time of an uncertain pandemic, but also “change the standard by holding our own” amongst artists by “placing a minuscule fee on our singles.” The songs are on sale for Rs 25 each.

Just as artists like Peter Cat Recording Co. also shunned streaming and opted to sell via Bandcamp for their album Happy Holidays, Naalayak too are keen to see if fans will still value music enough to pay for it directly. Arora points to how several “budding artists” often get overlooked for live performances and at the same time, the costs of jamming and recording as well as promotions is “financially draining.” Later this week, however, Naalayak’s latest songs will be out on streaming platforms, because they’re fully aware of its reach. The drummer adds, “Our release is to shift a sort of onus on the consumers to regard our hard work and art in a way we could utilise to make more of it for them.”

Naalayak’s nine-track album Hindi Gaane is expected to release later this year, with plans for music videos also underway.

Buy Naalayak’s new music on OK Listen.