Marti Bharath of Sapta, a Chennai-based electronic band talks to DC
Sapta
There’s always excitement when you’re invited to an artist’s studio. So, when Marti Bharath invited DC to Chennai-based electronic act Sapta’s cosy set-up in Thiruvanmiyur, we jumped at the opportunity. “I live here,” Marti says and adds, “Make yourselves at home.” Settling down on the sofa, we couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room — one wall is taken up by the equipment, from electronic keyboards and synthesizers, some kept within special cases — to the electronic drum kit. This is ‘home’. Here, the musician, who has now settled in Chennai, makes music along with Tapass Naresh on drums and violinist Shravan Sridhar.
Sapta, which stands for ‘seven’ in Sanskrit, isn’t new to the city. Conceptualised by Marti eight years ago, they have played several gigs around the country the past year and have released six albums so far. “It actually started with another band in France, which was also called Sapta. I needed a name, a separate act. I love the idea of being in a band, as compared to solo performances. It’s made me more powerful, in terms of mental strength. And having two other people, with them backing you and supporting you on stage is amazing. It’s not completely a live band and we have structures and layers. Ever since 2007, the concept has just evolved with technology and more musical knowledge we learn everyday. I keep learning new things everyday.”
Describing their music, Marti says, “Our sound is unique. You can call it Indian electro. I don’t like labelling and pigeonholing, because none of our albums are the same as the previous one. The next couple of shows will be harder, in terms of the power in the music, so it’s going to be less vocals. I believe that the moment you introduce vocals in Sapta’s music, it loses heart, because I will be focusing on harmonies and it goes towards the softer side.”
Having collaborated with various other artists like city-based Maalvika Manoj and Sofia Ashraf of ‘Kodaikanal Won’t’ fame, the band members are still revelling in the fact that they got selected to play at Delhi and Pune for Bacardi NH7 Weekender, a nation-wide music festival. “Weekender is a huge deal for us. Last year we attended the Bengaluru Weekender, and we were thinking how nice it would be if we could also play there. And this year, we got called for it. And that too for Delhi and Pune, which is another level altogether,” Marti tells us. They will be playing alongside some pretty big artists and like AR Rahman and bands like Flying Lotus and more. However, Marti says, they are even more excited about the days leading up to the Weekender. “We’re really excited about the shows that lead up to the Weekender. Travelling through various cities, just playing with the band, doing some crazy stuff together — it’s all part of the gig. We are booked for the next few months until December.”
Since they decided to focus on getting more concerts and shows (they even put a hold on making new songs), the band has been constantly touring the country and life on the road couldn’t get any better. “If you come at it all professional, it’s going to be boring. Especially for people who attend our gigs, they want to hang out with the band. And that won’t happen if you’re all about just playing the gig and heading back to your hotel room later. So we do entertain after-parties, interacting with some people who enjoy our music and making friends,” he says. However, Marti quips, sometimes they get so carried away with celebrations that they reach the airport in the nick of time.
Over plates of homemade dal and rice — his dinner — Marti explains how he’s always thinking about the comfort of the band. “It’s not about luxury — it’s about comfort. I want us to be comfortable, and in the right state of mind before performing. I want my band to sleep well before the show and after the show,” he explains. “When we are on stage, whether we are in the right state of mind or not, we can’t show that to the audience. We have to give an amazing show, and be energetic,” he concludes.
Chennaiites can catch Sapta at Aqua, The Park, this Friday at 9 pm
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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