SHREYA BOSE
Sei Unmaad NIkha ( Bhargav Ojapali ): Difference , if accepted , is a source of strength . It compels us to expand the limits of our knowledge and makes the world bearable . On good days , it makes the world joyous . But then I hear an Assamese electro-pop song and I lose out on much because the words are alien to me . The loss is felt deeply , since this breed of music is not often listed amidst Youtube recommendations .
The music is as it should be , catchy and well on its way to becoming an earworm . But a look at the lyrics , even by one ignorant of the language , reveals that its about life in Assam . Quaint imagery of familiar places appear , accompanied by notions of music in the middle of the night . It is possible that inhabitants of Assam will find their lives reflected in the track . Ojapali takes his intimate acquaintance with Assamese folk and turns the art of telling intimate stories into a fun , replayable electronic thingamabob . More so , it relieves electronica of its ostensible disinterest in real human life ( and I am only talking about its popular image ) and uses the genre to tell a story that is personal , particular and capable of evoking warmth .
Don ’ t Be Afraid ( Anushka Manchanda aka NUKA ): A good music video is both art and weapon . It provides space for the musicians to extend their vision and clarify ( or obfuscate , depending on the the artist ) the story . NUKA takes every advantage of the visual tools at her disposal to create a narrative of blaring relevance . The question is of connection .
The video portrays humans with nature . But unlike the human vs . nature opposition that has loomed large since the Industrial Revolution ( all our fault ), the story being told is one of alignment . Humans looks to the earth , the sea , trees , fire , thorns and butterflies for wisdom , guidance and connection . Nature reflects to us our own story . We perpetrate devastation , both within and outside ourselves . Nature falls prey to us , and shows us our own death . However , NUKA portrays a understanding with nature , and calls for abandoning whatever fear drives us to hurt the earth .
Musically , the track is peppered with electronic elements . A techno drone fuzzes the background , while more active melodies slither around abrupt words steeped in meaning . Contrast is a pervading theme . Electronic tones are rarely accompanied by images of expansive beaches and ashes that accompany the last rites . Short , staccato phrases usually tend not to convey such quick meaning ( unless you like your haiku ). NUKA accomplishes both .
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Asshole ( Laxmi Bomb ): While I ’ ve already reviewed the album , the song required standalone commentary , especially by virtue of the accompanying music video . Laxmi Bomb ’ s disdain for propriety ( read : hypocrisy ) is welldocumented . In Asshole , they double down on the rage . They break out the war-paint , throw out psychedelic frames and uncover primal motions to get the message through . The point is to underline how , when you turn people upside down , they turn out to be assholes . The video has people being frantic , lost and approaching bliss . It sounds contradictory , but think of the whole thing as being inside the mind of a despairing 24 year old who found Ecstasy by mistake .
On the first watch , the video is overwhelming . Heavy lights cave in on dark hallways with neon winks . The band steps out in fluorescent , almost shamanic guises . They embody “ weird ” with absurd gestures and borderlineterrifying contortions . Think low-budget Enter the Void .
On a second watch , the faces become meditative . You can choose to surrender to the vocal drone , and giggle rather than recoil when the otherworldly grimaces and smiles attack . You move from being aghast to a measure of acceptance , or at least I did . In my mind , while the song suggests that people are frequently assholes , the video lets you laugh at them .
Lest we forget , laughter is the a powerful reaction . To quote Sandi Thom , “ Smile ... It Confuses People .”