In conversation with Seasonal Affected Beats – Score Short Reads

Talk to us about your new single, ‘To Bend or Break and how it came to be? 

It started with a little piano theme I wrote during the first lock down which turned into a more elaborate sketch with synths, drums and different sections. I sat with that for a while but I couldn’t imagine it being only an improvised instrumental track and then it struck me that Luka would  be ideal to feature on the track. Now that the track is out I can’t believe how it all started with just a piano sketch and a thought and appreciation for another artist sitting 7000kms away that you wish to collaborate with!

The track features the Dutch singer-songwriter Luka. How did the collaboration happen? Where did you hear Luka for the first time?

I’ve been following Luka’s music since 2018 when I first came across a live video of her track ‘River’ on Youtube, which I really liked. Since then I’ve been wanting to work with her and I felt ‘In Song’ would be the ideal way for us to collaborate. 

We connected through our respective managers and she really liked the demo that I’d sent her. Through Zoom writing sessions we started to get to know each other and both of us deeply resonated with the subject of the current climate crisis which became the driving force behind the track. It’s been such a wonderful experience to collaborate and work with her and I can’t wait to actually meet her in person! I hope we continue to make more music together and maybe even perform live someday!

We are excited for your upcoming 3 track EP. Could you elaborate a bit more and tell us what we can look forward to?

This EP is really special as it features the song-writer side of me that typically my listeners may be don’t identity my music with. At heart I am a sonic-story teller and what better way to tell stories through music and lyrics. I feel words add another dimension to the music and this EP is primarily driven by a strong focus on song-writing. 

This EP is more than just music for me, it’s a message and I’ve attempted to create a sonic representation of the experience we’ve had in the pandemic through these songs. I really hope it comes through and people like the music. 

You are focusing on important subjects like climate change and its impact on humanity via this. Tell us more about why you feel compelled to make music about it as well?

Climate crisis has always been at the heart of the music that I make as Seasonal Affected Beats. I am simply unable to write about another subject, especially when I read about the floods in UP or the recent raging wildfires in Greece and Turkey due to extreme heat. 

The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land” and that this is ‘code red for humanity’.

It is extremely challenging to write music that reflects the urgency and our responsibility towards climate change. However, with small steps like learning and educating myself over the past year and attempting to engage with this subject by including it in my music, lyrics and artistic works has been cathartic and rewarding. 

How did the pandemic situation enable you to create this remotely with your collaborators?

I feel the pandemic definitely made it easier to collaborate remotely which in the pre-pandemic world would’ve been impossible, especially considering our tour schedules and time difference.

The pandemic also allowed us to re-imagine our creative processes, creative choices and collaborations as the world suddenly felt smaller during the lockdowns. 

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

My intention as a sonic story teller is always to capture moments in time through sound and for that I have to be very patient and present with my surroundings before I can even begin a creative process. For me a lot of the times themes, titles and stories come first and then the music follows.

Each note or a chord is a character and a section of a song is a new scene or a chapter. It’s a very slow process at times and at times the entire song happens in one session. Also each EP and album has a unique creative process but mostly my creative process is a process built on Riyaz and saadhna where I am not trying to create but learn and be a student of music. 

Rapid Fire

• A topic you would like to explore and create music on in the future  – Digital existentialism.
• Which skills have you gained that help you perform effectively as a musician? – Improvisation.
• Who’s your ideal musician to collaborate with? – Ah, there are many but I definitely want to collaborate with Josin, Hania Rani and TM Krishna. 
• Tell us about your favourite performance in your career –  It was the last concert on our Europe tour in Muri, Switzerland at the end of 2019. It was truly special because the sound I’d been envisioning for the band over the last few years really came to life on that tour and especially in that concert. Considering that was the last concert with the band just before the pandemic hit, it’ll always be a special one. 

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