When a band doesn’t believe in writing short songs built up with the usual verse and chorus, but instead, looks at the music as a journey, to reflect our many moods, you know they are on to something. And so, Bengaluru-based Blushing Satellite is back again – this time with a full length album that they are calling The Union. One of the band’s founding members and its guitarist, Ramanan Chandramouli lets us in on what to expect from this soulful soiree that goes back to the basics – music that is intended to slow down and to heal.
If you didn’t already know, their RnB and rock sound is influenced by a myriad of African American artistes through generations, with the bass guitar at its heart. Although they have tested waters with an eponymous short EP before, this album is a full, nine-track deal. The album, Rama says, is a reflection of his intense spiritual journey over the last two years. They even dropped Who Am I?, a song from the album inspired by the teachings of Ramanan’s namesake Sri Ramana Maharshi. Its stirring video is derived from the concept of a still centre and chaotic surrounding. Even the name of the album goes on to suggest it. “It’s based on the Ardhanareeswara concept, the union of Shiva and Shakti, yin and yang. The whole album is a journey of Shakti towards Shiva,” he explains. The intention? “To tune the listener inward and provide healing and therapy in the process. I want people to slow down and discover the real nature within them and come together in the name of unconditional non dual love,” says the 29-year-old who has earlier been a part of bands like Alexis, Mad Orange Fireworks and The Bicycle Days.
Aside of sounding brand new, the band is sifting through some changes too – One of the band’s founding members and singers, Karthik Bhasker parted ways prompting blues singer-songwriter Mahesh Raghunandan to get on board. “Mahesh’s voice helps make our music a lot more approachable to the audience and is quite versatile too. We also worked with Leslie Charles from Thermal and a Quarter. He mentored, produced and mixed the album,” he says, stoked to get an outside non-biased perspective on the process. Their previous drummer, Deepak Raghu who recorded on the entire album had to move to Mumbai, so they are rehearsing with Prabhu Muraleedharan on the drums. “The album is scheduled to release online in August after which we are planning a live launch outdoors – under the trees and an open sky, away from the city,” he says, embracing Mother Nature in music and life.
