New Delhi Trap Artist Su Real Is Out With His Debut Album ‘Trapistan’

Su Real | Photo Credit: Sachin Soni

New Delhi bass producer Suhrid Manchanda ”“ who performs under the moniker Su Real ”“ may have been around for just seven years, but has worked with every well known artist in the scene including Dualist Inquiry and Nucleya. When he moved from New York to New Delhi in 2008, the artist began a residency at TLR Café in Hauz Khas Village, founded the dance music collective The Grind and toured relentlessly, turning into one of the most talked about artists in the scene. Says Manchanda, “In India, there’s still a lot of musical territory that needs to be explored.”

When we spoke to him, the artist was finishing up his just released debut album Trapistan, a follow-up to his EP The Grind, which released in 2013. Loosely based on the concept of the trap house ”“  spaces where criminals deal in drugs, money and other vices ”“ the album’s imagery is decidedly dark and based on the soul and character of New Delhi. Says Manchanda, “They call it a trap because the lifestyle seems inviting, but you can’t get away. That’s how it is in India today. There’s a lot on the album about evil, crime and all the bad things in life.” The 11-track album, which features songs such as “East Indian,” “Cosmic Yoga” and “Ghanta,” sees Manchanda integrate field recordings of public service announcements, marketplaces and more, layered over sounds of battlefields, traditional Indian percussions and heavy basslines. Adds Manchanda, “Most of my work is sample based or made with digital instruments and synthesizers. I like to cut things up and add my own spin to it. I think people will have a lot of fun trying to pick out the different sounds.”

Manchanda is currently working on a series of music videos to promote Trapistan, the first of which is scheduled to release this month. Says the producer, “I’m a very visual guy so when I’m working on music, there’s always a cinematic angle that I have in mind.” Directed by Satyarth Shaurya Singh, of Lights On Films, the video for the title track will feature aerial footage of New Delhi, ghosts, neon lights and was inspired by avant-garde drama film Enter The Void. Adds Manchanda, “We used helicams because I wanted to get as much aerial footage as I could of dark, grimy New Delhi.  We’re finishing up the edits, but we want the story to be abstract.”

Trapistan Tour:

November 14^th, 2014 – High Spirits, Pune
November 15^th, 2014 – Blue Frog, Mumbai w/ Hudson Mohawke
December 5^th, 2014 – Bonobo, Mumbai
December 6^th, 2014 – Antisocial, New Delhi
December 26^th, 2014 – Humming Tree, Bengaluru
December 27^th, 2014 – F Bar, Chandigarh 

Listen to Trapistan: