Music of shadow and light

The young duo Anindo Bose and Pavithra Chari stated off together after meeting at an audition of a musical and have been together ever since. Their band ‘Shadow and Light' churns up songs which speak about  personal milestones, about the eternal mystery of life and the small things that matter to us most. Read on to know about them...

 Tell us about yourselves. How did you guys come together/start off?

Our duo consists of Anindo Bose who handles  keyboard, arrangement and production and Pavithra Chari who takes care of lyrics, vocals and melody. Technically, the song Shadow and Light started off as a vocal demo for Pavithra, which in itself inspired Anindo to make a musical arrangement. And we decided to take it further and explore songwriting together. Initially we thought of keeping it as a studio setup, creating music that we mutually connected with. We got a great response from listeners all around when the initial tracks were uploaded and that motivated us to continue writing more. A couple months ago, when we realized that we were close to making 10 tracks we decided to release the compilation as an official album whose dates are to be announced shortly.

 What was the thought behind the conception of your band name, 'Shadow and Light'?

To be very honest, our first song was named Shadow and Light in a very spontaneous way without much thought. But while giving it more thought, this seemed to make sense as it denotes the inevitable presence and play of light and darkness in life. Such a name can be extended into countless metaphors and meanings and so adds appropriate depth to our music.

How would you define your musical philosophy?

We believe in making music that is bereft of pretense and concentrate purely its feel rather than its selling factor. Our music is not mainstream per say, but we do believe that it is accessible and will be appreciated by any listener who respects music genuinely. Spontaneity is a key feature in our productions. It's our dream to make music for films one day.

In our country, how difficult do you think it is to make a mark in the music scene? 

It is extremely difficult to make a mark in the music scene of a country where commercial music is so predominant and the infrastructure backing it is pretty widespread and strong. So it becomes that much harder for independent acts to get their music across to the public. More venues need to be set up solely for the sake of promoting and listening to original music. There ought to be more spaces for such expression beyond pubs and clubs where authentic listening experience is given more importance and the band isn't pushed to the periphery. Another hurdle is the sheer competitiveness that is an outcome of an extensively large number of musicians that are coming up every single day. Having said that, we feel it is difficult but not impossible. We hope for better days to come that will give original musicians a chance to appeal to all kinds of audiences and equally promote non commercial acts as well. And we would therefore like to thank organizations like Teamwork Arts and their Friends of Music Initiative for giving us our very first show and believing in our music. 

Tell us a bit about your music, what defines your music and songs?

As we've progressed in making music together, we've come to the realization that there is no one sound that purely describes us, but a complex array of inspiration and ideas that define who we are and what we do. We focus on textural, ambient, and lush arrangements but make sure that there is a distinct minimalistic space where required. We fashion our music in such a way that the arrangement is complimentary to the vocals, mixing and combining contemporary and traditional styles. On a personal note, I (Pavithra) consider myself as having an edge in terms of Hindustani classical music which is all due to the intensive training of over 10 years and immense freedom given to me by my guru Satya Narayan Maharana.

Your songs speak about your personal milestones and obstacles. What obstacles have you faced to reach till this platform?

Thankfully as of now, we haven't faced any obstacles in terms of song writing and inspiration for the same, but we are facing the usual fears that all upcoming acts have, like getting the music across to as many ears as possible, and performing at the right places. But we also feel that we are highly blessed in terms of support from our families and close friends.

Social media platforms have been extremely helpful in getting us a growing network of dedicated listeners who inspire and encourage us to stick on and constantly challenge/ improve ourselves. Though we are quite new to the scene, we are humbled by the fact that we have had over 30,000 listens and plays online in less than a year. 

What or Who inspires you to create music?

There are obviously various people and artists that have left an indelible imprint on both of us and guide us, but we also draw inspiration from both our everyday life experiences. The lyrics and vocal lines are conceived from what is most ordinarily found in everyday things but may have been overlooked or taken for granted in a general sense. The arrangement is an amalgamation of Anindo's various influences and interests in music. But overall, we seem to vibe well and inspire each other, and share musical sensibilities. 

What suggestions/advice would you have for newbies in music?

Keep it simple and honest. Make music that is derived from what you are rather than what you would like to be. And always have faith and hope for good things, they are just around the corner.