Music
Nischay Parekh of indie pop duo Parekh & Singh talks new music, record labels and the Calcutta scene
Nischay Parekh, a Calcutta-based songwriter, is one of those musicians that always seems to be making fresh music, waiting to be released. Half of indie pop duo Parekh & Singh, with the other half being the talented percussionist Jivraj Singh, he’s come a long way since his debut album Ocean. As he continues to explore his own sound, creating honest and simple tunes with melodies that stick, he has a new album on the horizon, recently won bronze at A'Design Award for the Panda video, and most importantly, is soon going to announce being signed with a really big UK label.
We caught up with the singer-songwriter about the mindspace behind the album, why computers are his friends, musical sensibilities, and the duo’s plans ahead.
Congratulations on getting signed with a certain UK label that we can’t name yet. :) I'm happy for you guys. How in the world did that happen and what are the plans going forward with the label?
All I can say without giving too much away (since we’re planning to do a full press release along with some other treats soon) is that it all happened very organically and without any of the music business-y type stuff that people tell you to learn about. So no references, no introductions and no ‘press kits’ were involved. I simply sent them a single mp3 attached to a ridiculously short email, which was probably just a sentence telling them my name, age and location.
The immediate plan is actually to re-release “Ocean”, which was our first record and then put out our new album. We’re also working on fine-tuning our aesthetic in subtle ways.
I loved the new album. It's definitely more mature, futuristic and experimental than Ocean. Can you take me through the songwriting process and the kind of space you and Jivraj were in musically at the time?
Jivraj and I don’t really think about spaces or zones when we’re making music. Its always very much a deliberate construction and very designed. We don’t ‘jam’. I usually come in with a finished song and then he makes drums. So it’s usually very focused and intentional writing. We listen to so much music that it’s difficult for us to really identify a singular style or category to exist in. Sure, it’s pop music at its heart, but we like to speak a very specific language of pop music and everything that we’re making comes from this evolving dictionary. We edit constantly while we rehearse as well so that the music really comes to life.
What were the major influences for you both during the making of this record? There's a lovely flow to it, and some gorgeous use of electronica.
For me, it was a very urban album. I wanted every lyric and melody to seem like it’s from a city. It was a conscious decision to not repeat anything from the first record. Electronic music was an evident ingredient. I delved into the world of synthesis and really drew from the sound of all the equipments that we’ve quickly amassed. So filters, oscillators and arpeggiators became inspirations for the music. There’s a lot of science on the record. That’s a direct result of the world that we created for ourselves.
Please take me through a few back stories to the song titles.
The first album had titles that were pretty literal and self-explanatory, I feel. The new one has some titles like that as well, with a few exceptions. Surgeon is about a great discovery in the world of physics that occurred a few years ago - the Higgs Boson particle. The overarching theme is our ability to discover things as a species. Then there’s Sunbeam, which is about fighting illness and overcoming challenges, bursting through clouds, etc. 100 Shadows was written like a fantasy story in the same vein as some of my favorite worlds such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, so it’s almost mythical and a little post-apocalyptic. I like my song titles to be almost business-like and very understated, always serving the song. They’re usually from the lyrics.
Also, what's up with the name changing? It's gone from Nischay Parekh to Zap to Parekh & Singh in a very short time.
We just didn’t feel like Zap once we changed the name. It didn’t really capture our imaginations. To be honest, it was an ill-considered and hasty decision. Parekh & Singh just seemed a little more in line of who we are as people, and it has a little bit of mystery in it. We thought of all the great duos in pop music such as Hall & Oates, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.
Congrats on winning bronze at A'Design Award for the Panda video. How was it collaborating with Ayesha Kapadia on it? When it comes to the artwork for Parekh & Singh, do you usually provide the imagery for the artist to work around or is there a lot of creative freedom on both ends?
Ayesha is amazing. She’s a close friend and really has this wonderful other-worldly quality to her work. It all feels like it’s from the distant future or the distant past, or another planet. We just give artists a few key concepts to work with and then the full freedom to play and explore.
Is the visual aspect going to be a major factor in live shows?
We’re always working on how to make our shows a visual experience. All I can say is that there is a lot of work left on this front. We’re planning outfits and a synchronized light show.
Sounds great! There's always been a very quirky quality to your music. Would you agree? Is that an extension of your personality or just a musical exploration?
I don’t take myself seriously at all. Jivraj is also this way when he’s in partnership with me. So quirk and fun all come very naturally to the music. It’s a different kind of fun though, a little angular and a little strange. This new album was really a good representation of our personalities, I feel.
You've dabbled with Bollywood, having worked with Ankur Tewari on Life Changes Everyday. How was that experience? Is there a very different mindset at play?
I don’t know how to make Bollywood music so there’s definitely no change in mindset. I am only capable of a single mindset. It was a new experience though, and it was originally supposed to be for a different brand. Ankur told me that he wanted to use it for his short film series only recently. I think it works well in a Bollywood context.
Back to Parekh & Singh, which has been one of the few acts from Calcutta's music scene that has stayed fresh and relevant. Other than the musical sensibilities, I'd also credit this to having a vision and DIY approach where you'll actually bother xeroxing hand-written lyrics and handing them out at bookstore gigs. I'm glad to see that. But what's your take on the city?
We like design. We want to make things cohesive and big. Pop music is redundant without design and a world. So everything that we do has to tie into a larger picture. All the pop music we love is this way - all-encompassing and engaging.
We love Kolkata and our neighborhood (Ballygunge). That being said, we have played more shows outside the city than in it. There’s a wide range of music being created currently in Kolkata. It’s a small scene though, lots of familiar faces. It’s good. I think our scene has potential.
Do you think you'll always be a two-piece?
I like the idea of a duo, but we’re open to anything that might present itself in the future. I would love to arrange all the music for some sort of orchestral ensemble someday. There’s definitely no mechanical need to add any people though. Computers are our friends.
What's the way ahead for the duo?
We’re re-releasing Ocean first through our new label and then hopefully a tour and some international dates later this year. Videos and new visual content is planned. All will be revealed in good time.