Tarang Joseph Taps Into ‘Liquid Sunshine’ on New EP

It’s funky good times on Bengaluru artist Tarang Joseph’s debut EP Liquid Sunshine, which sees the singer-songwriter and keyboardist traverse nu-disco, soul and pop across four songs.

Inspired by the likes of Jamiroquai and Michael Jackson as well as newer acts who are reviving the funk/soul sound – Silk Sonic, Parcels and Franc Moody – Joseph and his band have a groovy, infectious offering. The artist says in a statement, “Set against the backdrop of a vibrant summer, the EP explores themes of love, loss, adventure, and self-discovery as the protagonist experiences the ups and downs of love, seeks out new experiences, and reconnects with their inner child.”

The EP opens with “Take Me Away,” the summery lead single which released in April. Joseph says, “The track tells the story of a protagonist who, for the first time, finds himself consumed by love so intense that it feels like an intoxicating rollercoaster. ‘Take Me Away’ mirrors the protagonist’s internal journey, capturing the euphoric rush of being on this rollercoaster of emotions.”

There’s more soul-searching and journeying on the synth-led “My Favourite,” in which Joseph pleads to a beloved to stay amid changing times. The artist says he was inspired by Paolo Coelho’s best-selling novel The Alchemist, basing the lyrics off the story of a hero’s journey and how leaves behind a girl he loves. He adds, “‘My Favourite’ is a tale of a heartache, as we encounter the familiar feeling of moving on due to circumstances and the time not being right.”

There’s more tempered, moody storytelling as the tempo changes for “Make It Right.” Joseph says the slower song is meant to recall a “warm summer night in the Eighties.” He adds, “[The song] tells the tale of rekindling a romance with an old flame. The protagonist has a chance encounter with a romantic partner from the past, and wants to make things right between them and explore what they never could.” Driven more by bass than other tracks, “Make It Right” was co-written by Joseph’s band – bassist Surya Kalyanaraman, guitarist Adesh Vinod on Guitars and drummer Shourjo Chatterjee.

Joseph says that a lot of the songwriting on Liquid Sunshine EP owes itself to his experience playing in a band setting more than before. He says about his process, “I would write drafts of the songs and arrange them in my DAW [digital audio workstation] with electronic drums before showing it my band. They helped me arrange the songs in a band format, so that they would be great to play live, which was one of the primary objectives of this project, to be able to play an upbeat disco set live. “

The title track sees Joseph turn inwards and emerge with a story about one’s inner child. He says, “‘Liquid Sunshine’ tells a story of awakening your inner child, reconnecting with the novelty that the world has to offer, and experiencing the beauty that the world has to offer without judgment.” Driven by a house groove (which Joseph credits to another recent acclaimed artist, producer-rapper Kaytranada), the song is a joyful clarion call to the dancefloor.

The artist has so far released a visualizer for “Take Me Away” when the single released last year and went on to perform an EP launch set at Echoes of Earth Festival in Bengaluru in December. He adds about what’s coming up next, “We have lots of plans for this EP. We’re working on a live audio-reactive visual experience to recreate an Eighties disco club for our live shows, and we’ve planned an India tour coming soon post the release of this EP.”