Surreal meets electronica in Delhi-based Fopchu’s new EP, Tall Tales

FOPCHU IS WHAT you fondly call an innocent, slow-witted mama’s boy in an old Parsi dialect. The Delhi-based outfit named after the term is eccentric and surreal both in its music and its overall aesthetic. During the lockdown, the band, that’s made of Shantam Khanna and Siddhant Subramanian, worked on a new EP titled Tall Tales that was born out of a digital performance. Tall Tales is a delightful mix of electronic music, R&B and synth-pop.

“Our love for synthesisers and bad puns brought us closer than we were before,” Siddhant says, when asked about the band’s origins, adding, “What started as an
inebriated joke between us, eventually led to us writing music.” The band enjoys all styles of music, but some of their favourite artistes are Stereolab, Aphex Twin, Jimmy Edgar, JJ Cale, Snorkel, Howling Wolf and Reggie Watts.

For the 2020 digital version of the NH7 Weekender, Fopchu performed a live show, akin to a music video. The video was inspired by the British musical comedy TV show, The Mighty Boosh. “With some help from our very talented friends, we wrote the script, revamped our songs, and designed the sets and costumes,” Siddhant adds.

The EP, that launched earlier this week has five tracks that all showcase the band’s bizarre imagination. It kicks off with Square Hugs, a beat-driven song with loopy
synth sections. Guacamole, the second track, has a distinct ’80s vibe — think Daft Punk and 8-bit video games. The third song, Just A Natural is a touch darker and more goth in tone, and boasts a haunting melody. One of our favourites, Beatz2, is highly experimental. It is a zany but harmonious mix of sounds. The EP concludes with Mister Sister, an R&B style song that rounds off the album nicely. Compared to its previous works, such as Milk Bred and Now Showing, these songs are more mature and evolved. As Siddhant puts it, “The barrel aged, Fopchu sound is open for tasting, and has a stronger full body flavour.”

Unlike many other bands we’ve spoken with, the duo say they enjoyed the experience of digital gigs. “On a digital screen, there’s way more that can be done to engage your listener. Hopefully we can do some more in the future, under better circumstances of course,” Shantam signs off.

Available on online streaming platforms

anagha@newindianexpress.com
@anaghzzz