By Deepa Natarajan LoboFakir, an intriguing new name on the electronic music circuit, is beginning to make its presence felt. What makes the moniker even more interesting is the person behind it: Tushar Vashisht, better known as the co-founder of a health and fitness platform.A former member of Penn Masala, the acclaimed a cappella group at the University of Pennsylvania, Vashisht (fakir) has teamed up with electronic music producer Pritpal Sudan (sudan) to explore an unusual musical confluence. Their sound brings together Hindustani classical, Sufi and ghazal traditions with synths, vocal chops, live rhythms and cinematic electronics. Ahead of their Bengaluru performance, the musicians talk about how they came together, their musical influences, the changing music industry and their attempt to push the boundaries of Indian sound.
‘The tech-founder life was all-consuming’
fakir: Music runs in my family, and I was trained in classical music from the age of six. My grandmother and mother were both music teachers. But in the years that followed, the tech-founder life became all-consuming.The spark to return to music came at Echoes of Earth about two years ago, when I met sudan. We met again last year, and I felt there was an opportunity to bring ancient Indian sounds into an electronic landscape and transform them into something beautiful and futuristic. We started experimenting, and over the last three months, we have created an original set.
‘I don’t want to appeal to millions’
sudan: I didn’t grow up in a household where music was played. I pursued it in school, and by the time I was in college, I had started taking up projects. When I started out, I listened to popular artists like Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Jason Mraz. But now, I love discovering niche artists on social media. Like them, I don’t necessarily want to appeal to millions of people. I am happy making a specific kind of sound.
‘A fakir has no rules’
fakir: A fakir is someone who has no rules and is in search of truth. I am looking for the truth in sound. Whether it is visual art or soundscapes, I would love to push the boundaries of the Indian soundscape and create experiences through live performances.
‘Authenticity is making a huge comeback’
sudan: The biggest shift in the industry today is that a lot of power is coming back into the hands of artists. Authenticity is making a huge comeback, and you can make your own rules without having to bow down to an agency or a label. I make my own music, release it and do my own shows. I would love to see more artists taking this route.
‘Bengaluru was a no-brainer’
sudan: Playing in Bengaluru first was a no-brainer. I am from Mumbai, and this is probably my fourth or fifth time playing here. It has been one of the best cities in my musical journey.The response to the show has been exciting, with several people already asking us to take it to other cities. That will happen, but for now, I’d rather focus on what we are creating and enjoy the process.‘WHILE WE’RE HERE’, the duo’s live performance, takes place on November 13 at 9 pm at The Humming Tree.
