SundogProject To Release Second Album ‘Tora’

SundogProject in Delhi in January this year. Photo: Dhruv Sethi

In May, experimental rock band SundogProject’s frontman Rahul Das debuted his solo set at the Delhi edition of living room gig series Songs From A Room [Sofar]. With a mic, synthesizer and guitar in hand, Das was performing new material from SundogProject’s upcoming second album, Tora, to around 20 people. This week, Das takes his solo set to a bigger stage, at Hard Rock Café, New Delhi, ahead of Tora’s album release next month. Says Das, “This gig is a new direction for us. From now on, we’ll try to play shows which are longer and break it up into two separate sets ”“ a solo set and a band set.”

Tora, which takes its name from the Bengali word for ”˜a bunch of broken flowers’ is very “mood-based” according to Das. The 22-track album, which clocks in at nearly 80 minutes, comprises songs written by Das between 2006 and 2012 on his laptop and synthesizer. Says Das, “They aren’t meant to be songs, but more like sound pieces. Every song has a different mood.” The frontman adds that thematically, he songs are in the same space as their debut concept album Hex 1/Visions, which released last year. But unlike the time they released their first song “Witching Hour” from Hex 1, Das says Tora is meant to be listened to in its entirety. Says Das, “I expect people to get bored. I know people have short attention spans, but I don’t care, that’s how it [the album] should be heard.”

For their live set this week, Das will open with his solo set, but adds that the band, comprising bassist Anupam Roy, guitarists Viraj Mohan and Rahul Sainani and drummer Shardul Mehta, will also play live versions of tracks from Tora. SundogProject will perform new songs off Tora such as “Bicycle,” “Tentacle,” “Deity,” and “Screwhead Notes” at the gig, as well as material from Hex 1/Visions. While readying Tora, Das has also been working on the follow-up to the band’s debut album, with the sequel Hex 2/Visitations. But Das says the album won’t be out until next year. “I have finished 80 percent of that, but it’s going to take a while. It’s got a lot of acoustic guitars and stuff, so it’s ambitious.”

SundogProject performs at Hard Rock Café, New Delhi on July 17th, 2014. Entry: Rs 500 (including Rs 250 cover charge). Event details here.

Listen to a teaser to “Tentacle” from Tora