Ahmedabad-based band Ehsaas comprises of lead vocalist and guitarist Viral Patel, drummer Parth Bhavsar, and lead guitarist Raj Shah. The trio trace their roots in classic, ambient rock and this is what their latest EP Baawre seems to stand for.

At a time when rock has either reached the stage of oversaturation or the point of succumbing to a more “electronic” makeover, Ehsaas try to showcase a sound from the 2000s. The resemblance can be intentional or unintentional but this is more than evident in a few tracks.

For instance, the opening track (also titled Baawre) seems like an introspective track boasting guitar solos that sound like they belong from an alternate version of a song by Strings or Pritam’s “Metro Band”. This is followed by a heartwarming tune nostalgically-titled Kal Ki Yaadein. Patel’s vocals shine against lazily-paced acoustic finger-picking.

The tonal shifts are pretty drastic in this compilation that makes sense as EPs are expected to be less thematic than an album. In the case of Baawre, third song Mein Haari takes the shape of a high-octane power anthem while Ek Anjaani brings back a slower pace while lessening the intensity.
The mixed bag that is Baawre might definitely impress listeners who are in the pursuit of old-school Indian indie rock, even though some of its song charter pop rock territories too. 

Lyrically too, the EP is impressive with the titular track alluding to a person who gives up the tris and tribulations of everyday montony to follow their own path in life. This exploration of the “road less travelled” has been a familiar theme for many rockers but the underlying philosophy and poetic richness of tracks like Baawre and Kal Ki Yaadein might still offer some food for thought to listeners.

Verdict: An interesting new-age reworking of what seems like a familiar formula in Indian rock.

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