Two to tempo: Snax presents a percussion show of high-energy beats and rhythm

What happens when beats take centre stage? We have always listened to sets with vocals and lyrics at the heart of the performance, and the rhythm as a background grounding factor. Snax envisions a different world of music where beats dominate and melody is a subsidiary element. “It just takes a beat to create something, to vibe and groove,” says Ramkumar Kanakarajan, the co-founder of the Snax. Just like the name suggests, the band delivers a show full of “crisp tasty beats.”

Hailing from different genres and musical influences, the band fuses multiple types of beats. It has Sumesh Narayanan, the co-founder, on the mridangam, darbuka, bongo, hand snare, hand sonic, and konnakol (Carnatic percussion syllables); and Ramkumar with an elaborate drum set, a sonic and a wooden percussion instrument. With an amalgamation of these diverse soundscapes, they have choreographed a set with varying energy levels starting with afro beats and ending on a high note with South Indian Kuthu, to give the audience a range of experiences.

The process of conceptualising fusion of different genres is picked up from the vibe of both the genres. “Sometimes the beat remains same but melodic soundscape changes; conversely, sometimes the soundscape is a similar vibe but beat evolves which again gives a totally different effect,” explains Ramkumar. Being producers, they have also used sampling to add an element of melody in it.

While one might think how they incorporate melody in an all rhythm set, it is sampling which does the magic. Sampling is a production technique that uses different variations of a sound to make music. “While in most bands beats are a background factor where the percussionist picks up from the bassist or vocalist, here, the rhythm influences the melody,” says Sumesh.

They say that giving the audience an experience of just raw rhythm is like presenting them a blank canvas. Ramkumar explains, “When there are lyrics, you are telling the audience what to feel, but with only a beat, it is like a blank canvas, the audience can think and feel whatever they like. It is almost like reading a book versus watching a movie, with a book the brain goes beyond and you can see what no one else can.”

What Snax aims to do it break away from sonic identities bands have, and to show the world a different side of music.

Tickets at INR 399. January 12, 8 pm. At EXT, Jubilee Hills.