Paradigm Shift, which became an instant hit with a cover of an AR Rahman classic, offers fresh tracks at today's gig
Members of the band. Pic /Roycin D'Souza
Concept albums (featuring a cycle of songs expressing a particular theme or idea) are rare in India. The root of the format dates back to the '40s and '50s when Folk singer Woody Guthrie released Dust Bowl Ballads. The Beatles and Pink Floyd maintained the trend in subsequent years. Taking cue from these artistes, Paradigm Shift, a Progressive Rock act from the city, started its concept album journey in 2012 when it released Coalescence (its first album). Currently, the band is busy with post-production of their second album, Sammukh, which is a prequel to the first. A snippet of their stories will be revealed at a gig today.
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“I adore bands like Tool and Porcupine Tree. When they write an album, they package it wisely. It is not only about the visual content; there also needs to be a story to it. Art has to mean what it actually is; only then, will listeners relate to it. They can't just listen to songs. An album has to offer more,” says vocalist Kaushik Ramachandran. The band will introduce four songs from the new album at Wednesday's performance.
Coalescence refers to different elements joining together to become one; on the other hand, Sammukh means standing against someone. “Our album has a protagonist. The artwork for the first album is of a man sitting in a meditative pose. The second one is the story of the same character. There, he has achieved salvation and here, he has dealt with obstacles to get to that point,” narrates the 30-year-old.
Kaushik Ramachandran of Paradigm Shift interacts with the crowd. Pic /Tushar D
Among the new tunes, Azaadi and Khoye The Hum are worth a listen. “Azaadi is a song that says freedom is only an illusion, and is seasonal. We are made to feel free but we are not. It is about the tough times of the protagonist. Khoye The Hum is about his inner thoughts and denials,” he adds.
Paradigm Shift's first taste of success came in 2012 when they played a cover of AR Rahman's Roja. The song became a rage on the Internet and till today, the band is forced to play the song at concerts. “Unfortunately, people won't call us for shows if we don't play Roja. We have 20 original songs but people don't give a f*** about them. Once Sammukh releases, we will stop playing Roja. Since it is a 10-track album, it will complete the duration of our gigs.”
On March 29, 9.30 pm
At antiSOCIAL, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, Khar (W).
Call 65226324
Entry Rs. 300
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