Uniquely varied: The Indian Ocean effect

RONOJOY MAZUMDAR

KATHMANDU: There is something decidedly different about this band. With their soaring vocals, mesmerising melodies, and innovative style, the Indian Ocean have rocked audiences the world over.

It is difficult to compare them to other groups simply because their music is so varied and original, that it defies classification. But when asked to describe their style of music, bass-guitarist and vocalist Rahul Ram admits that they “leave it to the listener”.

So, what sort of musical influences have inspired such a unique sound of this band? “It’s different for each of us,” says Ram. As such the band members — Amit Kilam (drums, vocals and flute), Ram and Sushmit Sen (guitar and vocal), Himanshu Joshi (lead vocal), and Tuhin Chakravarty (tabala and percussion), all of them have different influences, perhaps one reason why the band sounds so unique.

Giving a hint on the people that have influenced them, Ram adds, “I’ll give you three — Bhimsen Joshi, Bob Marley, and John Coltrane, to give you an idea of the range.”

Since the formation of the band in 1990, it has come a long way. Till date they have released six albums — the latest one being 16/300 Khajoor Road that is available free online. And the band has toured the world over.

But which places have they most enjoyed while visiting? “Hanoi was a great concert, but comprised mostly of students. Difficult question, New Zealand was a blast. Playing at the clock tower in Thimpu was great; we had a crowd of about 10,000!”

The Indian Embassy helped facilitate their visit in Nepal, what has been a memorable tour for the band.

The band, which has toured different parts of the world had “wanted to come to Nepal for a long time”. So what were their best and worst experiences here? Ram adds, “Well in Pokhara the lights weren’t so good, the sound wasn’t so good, then there was load-shedding and the generator wasn’t connecting, so, we started two hours late.

“But as soon as we started, the crowd was great. We also had a great time jamming with 1974 AD at Moksh.”

Fans can rest assured, as the Indian Ocean definitely would like to return to Nepal.