Out of the many bands to come out of Delhi in recent years, Kraken has definitely been making huge strides in establishing themselves as a class apart. Be it traveling to Austria and playing their music at a music festival or recently opening for the mighty Skyharbor at The Gig Week, they've certainly been raising heads! And now, there's more reason than ever. After a long period of their existence, they have finally released their first EP 'LUSH' and it's absolutely LIT! I had the opportunity to have a conversation with their guitarist Moses Kaul, to talk about the band, the EP and further:
Loudest: Tell me the story about Kraken. How did the band come about? What was the initial idea behind the whole project?
Kraken: The Kraken story begins in 2014 when the current avatar of the lineup came together. We all wanted to make music that we hear in our heads and like, and bring it to whoever is inclined to check it out. But, the LUSH by KRAKEN story began at Okay Pizza in 2015.
Loudest: Let's talk about the LUSH EP. This is your first release as a group and you've been around for quite a while. Were there any specific hurdles that delayed this process?
Kraken: We knew going in that the process won't be frictionless. What we made sure of beforehand was that the tunes were 100% written, down to that last note, before we went into recording. That helped us save a lot of time. But as per usual, there were a lot of missed deadlines, delays, nail-biting, sleepless nights, Mogu Mogu binge drinking and eating cold leftover Pizza.
One specific delay was when Reuben got Chikungunya twice in a row. I don't know how that's possible but he managed to achieve it.
Loudest: The sound of the record is quite unique, mixing in elements from various styles of guitar/synth driven music filled with quite the amalgamation of voices between the two vocalists. Was that something that you always wanted to capture or was it something that was formed organically? What were some of the influences that drove you towards this sound?
Kraken: It was quite natural. I don't think there was ever a contrived sound we were aiming for, it's all about letting the music write itself. We enjoy making uplifting music that makes you want to dance, groove or tap your foot. After we are done writing a song, if all of us don't dance to it, it goes in the bin. That's the litmus test.
Most of our biggest influences are non-musical - pleasant sunny weather, beaches, awesome faces, good personalities, great food, late night drives, museums and art galleries, 90's romantic comedies that kind of stuff.
Apart from that, we enjoy listening to a lot of hip-hop/rap, electronic music, and jazz fusion.
Loudest: Run me through a Kraken song. How does it usually start? Is it more of a collaborative effort or does a single band member write everything and then everyone add's their own vibe to it?
Kraken: I write the songs and then take the demos to everybody, and then we pour in the final sauce to add our collective vibe to it. It is, in the end, a collaborative effort because it doesn't matter who starts it, how it sounds in the end does.
Loudest: You recorded the album with none other than Mr. Keshav Dhar at Illusion Studios. Why did you think he would suit your band the best? What were some valuable things you learned in the studio with him?
Kraken: Keshav is the OG homie. Keshav's portfolio speaks for itself and he had heard the EP demos before and dug them. So it was a mutual decision and we went in knowing that the eventual output and how the EP sounds will be collaborative. Also, Keshav has a great ear, and the ability to think like a songwriter is of paramount importance when it comes to production. The decision to work together was a no-brainer really.
Loudest: The recorded process took the better part of 2016 and 2017. Did it get frustrating or was it always about making sure that the final product is exactly how you want it?
Kraken: When things that are not in your hands start affecting the whole process, then it is obviously extremely frustrating and energy-sapping but the final product matters more. Recording and releasing LUSH taught us a lot of things that'll make album 2 a lot more smoother. So all the delays and hiccups were a blessing in disguise. But we are happy we did it our way.
Loudest: When it comes to the imagery, there is a huge Japanese influence that comes across. Where does that come from?
Kraken: I went on a solo-trip to Tokyo and the whole visual jukebox that accompanies LUSH is a consequence of that. I ended up extending my trip for a very important reason, which will be revealed very soon.
We have grown up watching, listening and absorbing a lot of art, movies, culture, and music from there so I guess a lot of what we produce is a direct consequence of that. Though if you asked us we don't differentiate influences like that, it comes very naturally, and we just embrace it.
Loudest: Finally, the band is playing at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender this year. What are your expectations for that show?
Kraken: The Bacardi NH7 Weekender Pune will be the first show where we play LUSH by KRAKEN in its entirety so you can expect things to get hella lit. Expectations from the show are that people come with an open mind and enjoy all the wonderful music and party with us. Plus we can't wait to meet our other musician friends that we don't get to meet.
PS- We will be shooting stuff at the Weekender so expect some cool short films that we will put up on our Youtube Channel.
As the man himself said, there's a lot more coming from Kraken! You can catch them play LUSH live at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Pune. Until then, go and check out their EP, it's an experience for sure :)
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