ADITI SARAWAGI
EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
IN INDIAN CINEMA
The Indian music industry is waking up to new genres be
it through its movies or independent artistes and bands
playing across the country. Though new, different genres of
music take a while to get mass attention, music aficionados
have been very receptive towards experimental or avant-
garde music which basically refers to artistes pushing
existing boundaries of the traditional genres of music and
experimenting with newer genres, sometimes blurring and
sometimes even merging them to create new sound streams
which are unorthodox with a distinctly new path. Though folk music cannot be completely deigned to be said
as experimental music, it is a genre which wasn’t considered
part of the mainstream music scene in India. That has
changed with many music directors incorporating folk
flavours in their music and sometimes even dedicating whole
compositions to the earthy tones. This can be seen in films
like Peepli Live, Gangs of Wasseypur and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka
Mandola. This results in some beautiful fusion music which
is a treat to the ears and is a surefire sign of being part of
Indian film compositions in the future as well.
Popular Bollywood music directors also work with
experimental music and Amit Trivedi is one of the most
admired music directors to work with newer genres. His
music in Udta Punjab included trance and rap music with a
darker edge to it. He also uses jazz tunes in his compositions
at times. He calls his way of composition as ‘method
composing’ leading to the soulful music he creates. A lot of singers have also cropped up in Indian cinema whose
style of singing is very different-be it jazz singer Shefali
Alvarez, rock singer Suraj Jagan or even Vishal Dadlani
who is part of a rock band. Similarly Anushka Manchanda
and Mohit Chauhan are also a far cry from the sound we are
used to hearing and yet they have changed the way music
is perceived in the industry. Them along with Shalmali
Kholgade, Mohan Kanan from Agnee and Shilpa Rao bring
the indie pop flavour to the fore.
Not only is film music style changing but a lot of bands have
also come up across the country working with different
sounds. Local bands are experimenting with new styles
including heavy metal and other distinctive desi and indie
styles like emphatic rhythms, vigorous vocals and even bass
styles. The rise in popularity in avant garde genres have
encouraged these bands to try something different. They are
experimenting with hard metal, desi beats, and even Punjabi
and regional beats.
When talking about revolutionary changes in music, one
cannot forget A.R. Rahman’s contribution to experimental
music. He was one of the first artistes to bring in digital
sounds and technology to recording studios and is a pioneer
of progressive music. Other Bollywood music directors giving
us new sounds to hear are Vishal-Shekhar, Swanand Kirkire,
Sneha Khanwalkar and Ram Sampath amongst others who
amalgamate the sounds from various parts of the world,
technology and of course an Indian soul.
Opening up to new music has also brought international
artistes to the country like Chammak Challo brought Akon
to Bollywood with Ra-One and Kylie Minogue sang Chiggy
Wiggy for Blue. Many Pakistani singers also have become
part of mainstream Indian music be it Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
or Atif Aslam. Electronic Dance Music or EDM which has
taken the world by storm has also found its share of fans in
India in music from movies such as Cocktail, Go Goa Gone
and Dev D. Sufi music is another genre bringing global
sounds to India.
A lot of new musicians are working with experimental music
over the years and have introduced newer genres to the
Indian music scene. People are way more accepting of newer
forms and slowly and steadily, experimental music has made
a place for itself.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
21