Aditya Prakash is a young maestro award-winning in Carnatic music, which is powered by his velvety and emotive voice that is bold yet calm at the same time. He found fame when he performed with Ravi Shankar at 16 as he toured with him worldwide. His latest ‘ISOLASHUN’ draws the listener into his world of classical music, which he seeks to push forward with his interpretation and musical sensibility.
Setting the tone of the album, the first track, ‘Isolation’, uses sounds of birds, cars, horns and overall the rhythm of a city to mark the story’s beginning, narrated by the songs. Continuing with the same tune, the eponymous track ‘Isolashun’ begins with a soulful raga by the singer that conjoins with beautifully strung Carnatic music that highlights the emotional range of the singer.
In ‘Insirgents’, the song’s atmosphere has a very dark tonality where the self-reflective paradigm soars high. Pushing the boundaries of the conventionality of classical music, this track seeks to explore the unsaid. The heightened and deep voice gives a thematic virtue that grasps the listener’s mind.
‘Maya’ is a mellow song where the aesthetic quality of Aditya’s voice is both sweet and thought-provoking. The song explores the stance of self-identity and retrospection where some of our characteristics are ‘Maya’ and implores us to find the true self. ‘XenoF.O.B.’ is my favourite from the album; it blends political commentary with his haunting voice to create this masterpiece.
Conclusively, the album is not the usual run-of-the-mill creation but would make the listener driven with a slight discomfort as it makes the mind flounder into seeking answers to never-answered questions. The tracks with the sweet vocals of the singer are instantly likeable, but tracks like ‘3 Am’ and ‘End’ would not appeal to the wider audience as they are unlikely to revisit them. Still, this album is a step forward in exploring Aditya’s brilliant craft and is a great attempt to step outside the ordinary.
Verdict: Dark, Self Retrospective, Haunting.
