Bridging the gap

Anhad Khanna (left) and Tanner Willeford

We'll have to travel back to the mid-1990s to understand how the Asian underground movement in music came about. That's when acts like Karsh Kale in the US, and Talvin Singh and Nitin Sawhney in the UK started sampling ragas and Indian folk songs, colouring western sonic structures with a shade of brown. And now, 25 years later, an Indo-US duo called Anhad + Tanner has grabbed the relay baton to take the movement forward.

They have launched their debut EP, In Other Words, and Anhad Khanna, the Indian half of the act (Tanner Willeford forms the American part), admits that it's been a lengthy process. The two first met in 2016, when Willeford came to India on a music grant. And the bond they developed gradually blossomed into this seven-track offering that's been slow-cooked over three years.

It's a worthy effort at picking up the mantle of the Asian underground sound, and Khanna tells us, "We are trying to say something that's already been said, but in our own words."

Log on to youtube.com

Keep scrolling to read more news

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news