Finding calm during chaos

Postponing the launch of his ensemble, Inalab's debut EP due to Parikrama bandmate Sonam Sherpa's demise, bassist Gaurav Balani is bringing five songs about turmoil and chaos in the world, to help us get through tough times. And though these were written and composed before the virus outbreak, they do deal with the repercussions of the rampant anti-CAA protests, and animal cruelty.

The EP, which features Shruti Dhasmana (vocals), Archit Anand (keys), Shashank Singhania (flute) and Suyash Gabriel (drums), apart from Balani, is all about the aam aadmi. "The message of the music is that despite all the darkness and negativity that we are engulfed in, we need to find that inner peace and channelise the positivity to overcome obstacles. It's important to remember that nothing is permanent. So, we need to uplift those around us and help everyone and ourselves get out of it," Balani says.

Their titular song, The Commons, is an instrumental one, while Tilikum talks about the whale named Tilikum at the sea world in Florida, who died due to improper facilities. The EP also features a song that was originally recorded with Balani's brother Dheeraj, about violence against a dog in Delhi, titled Bonzo. "Being a bassist, the songs were first instrumental. We added vocals wherever we felt they was required," he explains.

Unstoppable, their last song, stands out with its sugar pop vibe. "The themes of all the songs are intense but this is a happy, peppy number, which exudes positivity by talking about the simplest things without undermining the negative aspects," concludes Balani.

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