Peach Envy Release Exquisite Debut EP ‘Seeds of Ether’

Seven months on from the release of their second single, the celestial, “Unhinged,” Mumbai-bred alternative jazz/R&B outfit Peach Envy are now out with their five-track debut EP Seeds of Ether.

The new record has been in the making for the last four years and was originally written for the band’s end-of-year showcase at Mumbai’s True School of Music. The group – comprising vocalist Tiana Taraporvala, producer-singer Purnet Moirangthem, keyboardist Hardik Pandya, bassist Anand Masrani and drummer Somayan Banerjee – have made the wait worth the while and have delivered an excellent batch of songs.

Masrani says, “Learning from each performance, we made changes to the arrangement [over the years] and even lyrics in some cases. We selected the songs that we thought were best of us and made the decision to put out an EP.” Pandya adds, “Our creative choices were made based on what the songs required and not individual musicianship. In order to stay true to each lyrical theme, we made a conscious decision to use different sonic palettes.”

According to the band, the main lyrical theme of the EP is their journey of self-discovery and self-growth inspired by the different shades of life. Seeds of Ether opens with the record’s upbeat synth-pop lead single “Jungle of Love” and is the group’s observation of Mumbai from the perspective of a newcomer. Next, we hear the aforementioned “Unhinged.” Taraporvala says, “Embracing uncertainties and self-love is what ‘Unhinged’ is all about.”

The mid-record song is the calming and balmy “By My Side (Demo)” which almost didn’t make it to the EP as the band was unhappy with the version they had. Moirangthem says, “After many brainstorming sessions, one day we decided to hit record and improvise and see what happens.” Masrani adds, “The track you hear on the EP is exactly the result of letting go of all prerequisites and artistic inhibitions and allowing yourself to be guided solely through creative and organic patterns.”

The penultimate song on the record is the soulful and magical “Unbound” which is the first piece of music the band jammed to. “It talks about how everything in life is constantly evolving and how the universe works mysteriously,” says Pandya. The EP closes with a remixed version of “Unhinged” by producer/musician A.L.F. “The result was a mind-bending, earth-shattering and as the title says ‘Jaw Locking’ mix,” explains Moirangthem.

Overall, Seeds of Ether is a robust and honest body of work. From the delightful musicianship across the EP to the sharing of vocal duties that bring in different textures and dynamics as well as the detail to the arrangement, the record is packed with a lot of goodness. Pandya and Moirangthem who go by the monikers Kidrah and Ten Purr respectively co-produced the EP.

Peach Envy tells us that they might release a couple of lyric videos to help promote the music and are also keen on creating a line of merch. Currently, the band is spread across different cities and are working on individual projects. However, Pandya says, “Once the pandemic subsides, we plan to meet again and work on the songs that didn’t make it to the EP.”

Stream ‘Seeds of Ether’ on Spotify below and on other platforms.