Coming a-live

Ashwin Gopakumar, Achyuth Jaigopal, Pai Sailesh and Palee Francis

One of India's most popular indie bands, When Chai Met Toast, will arrive on the shores of Mumbai for the first performance of their debut album tour, When We Feel Young. Light, folksy with an infusion of pop synth, the Kochi-based band adds another feather to their cap with the new release. "Our songs stem from experiences we've had over the years and this album is no different. The songs deal with the varying emotions we've gone through growing up," guitarist Achyuth Jaigopal tells us.

As part of the multi-city tour, the band will stop over in Mumbai on April 16, performing at a suburban venue. Since 2016, the band has been riding high on the success of their singles and EPs. Their debut album consists of seven songs built on sentiments of nostalgia, romance, fate, and belief. Jaigopal explains, "The new album is an evolution of our sound in some ways. The new album talks about love, nostalgia, belief and celebration - a wider palette of emotions."

Well put, this writer would say. The title track is the pick of the album with its lingering nostalgia and a touch of melancholy. This theme runs through the album with the wonderful Kahaani, written by Ankur Tewari, replicating the emotion through a mellow acoustic guitar and banjo accompaniment. The album also has some surprises. The happy synth tunes of Maybe I can fly are a departure from the tenderness of Remember and Ocean tide. It leaves you with a feeling of something more to come from the band.

When Chai Met Toast tried to invent itself with the album, Jaigopal reveals. "The album features electric guitars, synths and a pop flourish while retaining some of our previous folk-indebted sound. The aspiration to continue to try new things is something we aim for with every release."

After Mumbai, the band will also stage gigs in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati and Indore. The guitarist reflects the band's excitement. "We were also playing the songs from the new album live for the very first time, and it felt great to have everyone sing back even the new songs word for word. It's been over two years since a public show in Mumbai, and we couldn't be more excited."

On: April 16, 7 pm
At: Phoenix Market City, LBS Marg, Kurla.
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 1,299 onwards