Acoustic Duo Yaksha on How Carnatic Music, Ethnomusicology and Nature Inspired Their Debut EP

Although Aditya Mohanan was a razor-sharp riffsmith for bands like death metal act Killchain, he says by 2019, he was “a little obsessed” with how acoustics work while he was studying ethnomusicology. He says exploring the different backgrounds of musicians in the course of his research, he found that “every culture interpreted acoustics in a very unique manner” which defined them. He adds, “This understanding opened my eyes to the untapped possibilities acoustic music still holds, especially in an age characterized by hyper-produced music.”

Coupled with his training in Carnatic music, one really begins to understand the essence of his project Yaksha, which is completed by handpan artist Ishaan Zaveri. While acoustic improvisational elements are the sonic focus of Yaksha, the duo’s work is thematically inspired by nature. While recording for their song “Lacuna” in an orchard near Mumbai, Yaksha were inspired by raagas Mohanam and Kalyani and began channeling the ease that one feels being in nature. Mohanan says, “We found this gorgeous, expansive tree somewhere in the Aarey forest. We set up the cameras and mics and started playing as a gentle breeze started to pick up. That was the best, most effortless take that found its way into the EP. It was for that exact feeling that I decided to work on this project.”

The song is part of their four-track debut self-titled EP, which released in March and draws from Indian traditional music (“Bhairav,” “Yaman”) and philosophy (“Solipsis.”) At about 27 minutes, Yaksha EP is a meditative dive into the mind, our being and what surrounds us, rising in and out of pensive passages as well as urgent, energetic moments. Zaveri and Mohanan — who is also part of prog band Midhaven — draw all kinds of emotions out of their instruments and while improvisational music isn’t for everyone, there’s a certain allure that makes the EP perfect for calming times. In an interview with Rolling Stone India, Mohanan talks about the making of the EP, whether it can action environmental awareness and action and more. Excerpts:

I read about the restructuring, de-structuring and experimentation that went into these songs. What kind of prep did you do before going into recording? 

Aditya Mohanan: Since the act is improvisational, almost accidental in essence, the prep work was very ‘flow’ oriented. We had certain melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic motifs which we grew habituated to over the time that we prepared, which sort of acted as markers in the woods that let us trace our way back to where we came from. But in no way did these concretize our performances in any manner. 

Every take felt like a different song nevertheless, so we also had to gauge each other’s musical habits and create body language-based communication patterns that would help us transition in and out of sections. Even then, there was no certainty about who was going to play what next, so ultimately, we were forced to approach the process as a form of play. Very often, a mistake would lead to a whole new idea in real time, which made the process more liberating than anything I’ve done so far!

Watch the ‘Lacuna’ video

We all know the physical setting within which some of these songs were performed, but what would you say is the ideal setting to hear this EP? 

Now, that depends on the listener. One can use this music to enhance their experience in a natural setting, or even to take the urban edge off their daily grind. But ultimately, I think a blind listening, with one’s eyes closed, could possibly hit the right spot.

There’s certainly a message of sustainability and the importance of the environment that’s communicated through these songs and videos. Do you think raising awareness through music is enough, though? What kind of action do you hope it might spur to someone listening to Yaksha’s music?

To be honest, there was no conscious attempt from our end to convey a message of sustainability or environmentalism as such. The sentiment accompanied the process and the music for us. 

Human beings are fundamentally an aspect of nature and something about acoustic music intrinsically demanded an organic environment. If that comes across as a message of sustainability, then there is no shying away from it, because we firmly believe that nature cannot be sacrificed at the behest of progress. Raising awareness merely is never enough, but awareness and feeling are powerful motivators when it comes to mammals nevertheless. Having said all this, we hope that our sounds lead to the craving and coveting of all that is raw and earthy. 

What’s coming up next through 2023 for Yaksha? 

2023, thus far, has been quite interesting. We have finally unveiled our sound and spirit to the world, and the response has been quite exciting. We’re going to be releasing two more videos very, very soon (“Yaman” and “Solipsis”), so check us out and stay tuned for more.