Independent artiste KOMOREBI sets off on a national tour with her full band for her new album, The Fall. It narrates the progression of Kiane, a character introduced to audiences in her 2017 release, Soliloquy.
The album also marks the electronica outfit, known offstage as Tarana Marwah’s shift from a promising newcomer to a deft storyteller. Tarana, who has a deep-seated fondness for gaming and anime, integrates these elements into her music.
Her songs feel complete with whimsy, and characters that evoke angst, frustration, fear and grief. To deconstruct The Fall would mean slowly noticing her musical style intertwining with her love for these art forms and the grandeur of escapism she would give in to.
“It began late at night. Picture my younger brother and I stealing time away from our curated sleep schedule to watch cartoons at night. Then, my brother introduced me to a lot of the anime that I love today — Inuyasha, Cardcaptor Sakura, Naruto, Death Note, Code Geass and so on. Gaming was a great escape from all the difficulties of being a child. Ultimately, you’re at the mercy of your caretakers — it’s a prison of sorts. This world that my brother and I created was ours only. I’ve allowed it to bleed into my professional life,” she tells us.
Living in Delhi nudged her towards experimenting with unusual and offbeat genres. Spacious homes in the city provide artistes room for solitude, essential for deepening their understanding. But as we know, loneliness, a common human experience, often strikes intensely, regardless of location.
“My music is strongly me — almost unapologetically. Not in an ‘in your face’ way, but more of a ‘take it or leave it’ way. As I grow older, I realise more clearly just how different I am, and that it wasn’t just a passing feeling. I appreciate this and own it to be honest,” Tarana shares.
Inspired by Gorillaz, Grimes, Bjork, and David Bowie — all of whom greatly focus on alter egos and conceptual music, also led her to create something special.
Kiane, the character from her music, who is exactly a younger version of her, stretches to a 30-page comic book and a pioneering music video through game technology.
To amplify it all, the beat itself resonates with stirring abyss, wholeheartedly poising vulnerability and strength. The artiste collaborates with industry leaders like Rajesh Pratap Singh for her futuristic outfits and teams up with Media Monks to produce a hybrid live-action and animated music video, setting her project apart in the Indian tune-scape.
Joining KOMOREBI on tour is Bengaluru’s musician Yuhina Lachungpa, who recently made waves with her visionary EP, MNEMONIC. Both the artistes align in their musical expression, possibly reflecting similar influences and outlooks on life. Tarana, who is trying to focus on releasing singles this year, is also excited to tap into the other sub-genres of electronic music.
“I’ve been moving into rock and I am using more analogue gear for my latest tracks that are unreleased. It’s a heavier approach which is coming naturally to me right now,” she adds.
Tickets start at `499. February 4. 9 pm. At EXT, Moonshine Project, Film Nagar. — chokita@ newindianexpress.com @PaulChokita