The Indian era of electronica is well and truly thriving. With multiple generations framing the sounds and paving the path for more creativity to follow, this genre is not a subculture and with its earliest architects like Midival Punditz and Karsh Kale (who are also the minds behind the hit Gully Boy track Train Song), we can witness the DJ console becoming a canvas for a newer wave of artistes to experiment with. This music thrives best when a dedicated platform allows for the best of the talents to put their best beat forward and the Bengaluru-based music event series, AltSpaces has been offering just that in the city for two years now. As this curated music platform celebrates its second-anniversary milestone, Karsh and Midival Punditz are all set to take the stage alongside the most promising and refreshing sounds of supporting acts like Shivhari and BhardyFlute, Dwij and Prince Charazard, and Snd Chk Mnj. Ahead of this sonically immersive night, we chat with Midival Punditz and Shivhari to discuss the delicate cultural balance this platform has preserved and what their set will look like.
What can we expect from your set?
Gaurav Raina: This will be an exciting DJ set by Midival Punditz for AltSpaces covering all their current favourite tracks in rotation from our club sets. It includes a lot from our current and past album releases, plus some unreleased edits and remixes from the friends and family of Indian Electronica artistes from all over the world.
Indian electronica has always been about experimentation and evolution. Looking at the scene today, what is the one classic element you think we should never lose and what is one new rule you think we should break?
Tapan Raj: We really love traditional folk music from different parts of India. This is one element that will always find a place in our albums. The one new avoidable trend that we are noticing is that if some style works in a movie or any release, then hordes of artistse try and replicate that formula in their music and then everything for a while.
What kind of a set are you crafting for this evening?
This set is a celebration of a love I’ve carried for over twenty years — Indian Electronica. The intention is to let the Indian elements truly shine while never losing the familiarity of electronic music. What makes it unique is in weaving the indian elements live as it unfolds. So, you’re not hearing a fixed track — you’re hearing those classical textures breathe and respond in real time.
If you had to pick one essential element from the roots of Indian electronica to protect; and one conventional ‘rule’ you’re actively trying to break right now, what would they be?
The element we should never lose is the storytelling. Indian music is, at its heart, deeply narrative — and the temptation today is to treat Indian elements as a formula, a quick way to make a track sound distinctive. We have to resist that. The magic isn’t in the sound itself; it’s in carrying that storytelling through into whatever we create. The rule I’d break is the pressure to conform to whatever’s popular or trending. Instead of chasing the sound of the moment, we should be finding ways to bring Indian Electronica into any setting, any showcase — letting it shape the room rather than bending it to fit what’s expected.
INR 1,499 onwards, June 13, 6 pm onwards. At Aqua — The Park Bangalore, MG Road.
Mail id: pranav.shriram@newindianexpress.com