Music UnLtd. on staying original in the age of algorithms
For over a decade, Mumbai-based indie outfit Music UnLtd. has built its reputation through original music and compelling live performances rather than chasing the algorithm. Blending rock, alternative, pop-rock and psychedelic influences, the band's music has remained unmistakably its own. At its core is founder, vocalist and songwriter Milind "Milin" Chitnavis, joined by Colin on guitar, Stephen on bass, Kevin on keyboards and Samuel on drums.
As the band returns to Mumbai's Experimental Theatre, the concert marks a rare chance to present a set led largely by original compositions. In conversation with Indulge Express, Chitnavis reflects on the band's evolving sound, balancing originals with crowd favourites, and why the thrill of live music remains impossible to recreate through a pair of headphones.
Your music moves between rock, alternative, and psychedelic influences without feeling boxed into one genre. Has that been a conscious choice from the beginning, or has the band's sound evolved organically?
Milin: It has never been a conscious decision. My songwriting reflects whatever I'm feeling at that point in time. Some songs are pure rock, like And Then I Saw Her and Sparkling in the Night; others lean towards pop-rock, such as Dreams, Love & Lies and Give Us Free. Then there are songs with reggae influences like Jilted, a more fusion-inspired sound in This Is It, and ballads like I Like Green Eyes Too, It Crossed My Mind and Slow & Easy. The music evolves naturally.
Your concerts feature both original music and familiar covers. What tells you it's the right balance for a particular audience?
Milin: It depends on who's in the audience. For a more conventional crowd, we include well-known classics like Comfortably Numb, Hotel California and Paradise. But if we're playing to a more discerning audience that's open to discovering new music, we perform more of our originals and covers by artists such as Radiohead, Robbie Williams and Keane.
When you're writing a new song, do you begin with an idea you want to express, or simply follow where the music takes you?
Milin: It's a bit of both. Sometimes a lyric comes first, and other times it's a musical idea. From there, I simply let the song take its own course.
In an age where people often discover music through short clips and playlists, what can a live Music UnLtd. concert offer that headphones can't?
Milin: Listening to music on a good pair of headphones is enjoyable, but it can never replicate the energy of a live performance. When a band is playing well, there's an excitement and connection in the room that you simply can't experience through a screen or a pair of headphones.