Nagaland Pop-Rockers Trance Effect Release Smashing EP ‘Clowns’

It was only this past January when Dimapur-based pop-rock band Trance Effect received recognition from business tycoon Anand Mahindra when he shared the music video for their jumpy track “Clowns.” The well-deserved appreciation saw a rise in interest towards the band and drummer Sosang Lkr says, “It made us work even harder.” The group – consisting of Lkr, vocalist Iuli Yeptho, guitarists Tako Chang and Temsujungba Jamir and bassist Imnamaong Imchen – have since been chipping away at their just-released debut five-track EP which takes its name from the lead single.

According to the band, it wasn’t easy picking which songs would make it to the EP from all the material they had. “Some songs had to be cut as we felt like it didn’t go with the EP tracklist,” says Lkr. Clowns opens with the instrumental immersive track “Of Time Machine and Never Ending Stories” before diving into the enjoyable title track. Mid record songs include the delightful “Took Me a While” and dynamic “Favourite Mistake.” The EP closes with the euphoric “More Love.”

The entire recorded is plastered with Yeptho’s soulful yet rocking vocals, beautifully arranged melodies, crafty guitar work and some tight drum and bass parts holding the songs together. On the theme of Clowns, Imchen says, “From the first song to the last it’s a journey where one goes through happy times in life and then the heartbreaks and in the end finds love.” He adds, “We want people to be on a roller coaster ride together with us through our songs and experience these emotions.” The band recorded the EP at Dimapur guitarist Nash Lkr’s bedroom studio and sent the songs to New Delhi’s Ode Studio where it was mixed and mastered by Tongs Kichu.

With the country in a lockdown due to the current coronavirus pandemic, Trance Effect are resorting to social media to push their EP out to the masses. “Maybe we’ll play a few online live gigs,” says the drummer. While in quarantine the band have been working on new material separately and Lkr says, “It’s sad to see what the world has become, we are just hoping and praying for a new beginning.” Next, they plan on releasing a few singles and already have a second EP chalked out. “We will be working on music videos as well,” says Imchen.

Stream ‘Clowns’ on Spotify below and click here to hear it on other platforms.