Although this writer doesn’t understand Khasi lyrics till they get peppered with English (I can see me… I can see you), the lush, green hills of Meghalaya flash before our eyes as we listen to the sound of drums and Shillong-based artiste, Rida Gatphoh’s earthy vocals in Trouble. It’s a song from a nine-track album, Musical Nature, that marked the debut of the Northeastern band, Rida & The Musical Folks in 2013. Besides an acoustic guitar, the album features traditional musical instruments like Ksing Shynrang (male drum), Ksing Kynthei (female drum), Tangmuri (windpipe) and Singphong (Reed instrument), all handcrafted by the musicians themselves.

The band, Rida & The Musical Folks