It was the late 90’s; India was still lulling in stereotyped remixes. And then there came a phenomenon that forced you to sit up, take notice and really listen. An experiment in sound and a musical evolution way ahead of its time, BANDISH PROJEKT is not about the sound of music. It’s about the music of sound.
The sounds of BANDISH PROJEKT come from Mayur Narvekar, a composer, producer, DJ, remix artist, performer and a multi-instrumentalist. ‘Bandish’ in its Indian classical connotation means ‘composition’, while Projekt reflects its innate experimentation.
Imagine the sounds of folk music fused with electronica or classical Indian ragas entwined into trip hop. Melodies of ancient notes unified with new age IDM (Intelligent Dance Music). These explorations and amalgamations resounded like never before, and people plunged head first into this new wavelength! Every time Bandish Projekt performed, they heard of unheard genres, they danced to undaunted sounds. They were one with this resonance!
From the echo of festivals across India into the live energy of over 120 shows, Bandish Projekt has resounded in Dubai, UK, Sweden and France. Been there, played that – Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sommerszene festival (Austria, 2007), Melbourne Electronic Festival (Australia, 2008) and Village India Festival (India, 2009). BBC Asian Network Tour hasn’t seemed to have captured enough of the Bandish Project streak since 2007.
From productions for Indian Films and documentaries, extraordinary club events, fusions and concerts for leading corporate houses to live creations in drum ‘n’ bass sessions tuning into the best radio stations in India, Bandish Projekt seemed to be going anywhere that was everywhere!
Evolution and transformation at the core of Bandish Projekt’s musical philosophy, having recently collaborated with folk musicians from the desert state of Rajasthan for a live fusion concert at Indian Arts festival at Meherangarh Fort (World heritage site).
2010 marks the year when Bandish Projekt is set to release its newest album ‘Correkt’ and collaborate with cultivated performers to widen its musical dimensions.
The stage is set for varied and great musical ventures, but it rooted from the passions of a crazy music fanatic! Mayur started dabbling in music from age 5 and was then trained in Indian classical music. A tabla ace, Mayur dived head-on into the world of percussion, earning repute as a tabla player, and adoration as a jazz-funk drummer.
He has used these roots to bring to his music a native maturity, authenticity and ever-flowing change. His taste for strange sounds and electronic noises brings a certain wildness and rarity in his style. While his classical element keeps him grounded, Mayur’s need for experimenting takes him to unchartered scales. His music is his journey and it is that journey he explores!