Thaikkudam Bridge, a four-year-old, Kerala-based 15 member band, noted for its eccentric on-stage acts and fusion music, is gearing up for the release of their next record Namah.
When asked about the title of the album, the lead guitarist Mithun Raju, says, “Namah simply means salutation, and we have formulated the whole album to be a salutation of sorts to all the great musicians who have inspired us.”
The album will mark the ensemble’s biggest collaborations with international and national performers. Though the band did not divulge the names of the artistes, they confirmed that the recorded tracks have parts by renowned Indian musicians like Niladri Kumar and Ustad Rashid Khan.
Novel elements
The album will have ten songs in total and as usual, the group hasn’t stuck to any particular style. Though all tunes belong to different genres like folk and Hindustani, along with a touch of electronic music, they haven’t forgotten to include their signature “fusion” touch.
When probed about what listeners can expect, Mithun replies, “We have stuck with the band’s identity — the multi-lingual and multi-genre aspect, apart from the two or three heavy tracks.”
Out of all the songs in the release, two will be in Malayalam, three in English, one or two in Tamil, and the rest will be in Hindi, along with a track that will be completely instrumental. Mithun also mentions that this latter song has a few surprise elements awaiting the fans.
“Three tracks have been completely recorded, and one of it has been named Kalliyankattu Neeli.” The release will also include at least two official videos that will be available on YouTube, post-production.
Speaking about the lyrics, Mithun also mentions that the outfit has decided not to limit the theme of their album by making it seem socially oriented, unlike their other EPs.
The musicians have also collaborated with lyricists for the Hindi numbers on the album. The band plans to release Namah by early September later this year, after which it will be available on all major platforms online including YouTube and iTunes.
Details: facebook.com/thaikkudambridge