New Music: From Kerala Prog to Mumbai Indie/Folk

“Army” by Disco Puppet

Bengaluru-based producer Shoumik Biswas, who also yells and drums for experimental rock band The Space Behind the Yellow Room, has been releasing electronic music under the moniker Disco Puppet since 2014. His latest single, featuring vocalist Josh Fernandez [from Chennai electro-rockers The F16s], is a potential earworm and it includes guitars by his Space bandmate Devasheesh Sharma.

“Oceans Alive” by Skrypt 

The Hyderabad prog/death metal band have released their first new material since 2010’s four-track EP Discord. In typical prog style, the track is 13-minutes long, starting out with clean guitars that build into more intricate, abrasive lines. Mixed by Keshav Dhar [from Delhi prog metallers Skyharbor], “Oceans Alive” stands out for its tight production, striking with death metal riffs when you least expect it.

“I’m Not Your Ghost Anymore” by John Mpamei and the Band

 The Nagaland-bred Delhi pop rock multi-instrumentalist and his band released their debut album Far Away last month. While the self-titled 2014 single remains our favorite, his seven-track album has simple hummable pop rock with songs like “I’m Not Your Ghost Anymore,” led by acoustic guitars in the vein of American pop rockers the Goo Goo Dolls.

“Maya” by Blank Planet

From the backwaters of Alappuzha in Kerala come Blank Planet, who are [you guessed it] a prog metal band that started out in 2013 with a few originals and covers of UK prog band Porcupine Tree. They’ve come a long way since then, especially on their slickly-produced music video for the single “Maya,” which follows a pre-teen bearing the heavy burden of an education he’s clearly not enjoying.

Our House by Stella by Starlight 

The Mumbai folk/indie rock band bring quiet songs about love, hope and sadness set to mellow acoustic guitars and Shimol Sachdev’s voice reminds us of Irish rockers The Cranberries’ singer Dolores O’Riordan. Stella by Starlight cover quite a range ”“ from the jingle-like “Coco,” which contrast well with the melancholy of “January,” “Days” to “Waiting on Him,” which even has a moody saxophone solo courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Nigel Rajaratnam.