‘Our calmness is us maturing’

Encore (left) and Calm of Seedhe Maut

Calm and Encore, the two members of hip-hop act Seedhe Maut, are Delhi boys through and through. But they have been spending time in Goa recently, which is where they made N (spelt in the Devanagari script), their new mixtape. Here, Encore explains the process behind it. Edited excerpts from the interview.

Why did you choose to call this project a mixtape, and not an album?
It's because of the amount of time we gave to it and the quality of the recordings. We made a jugaad studio with three mattresses and a sh'tty mic. For an LP or studio album, you wouldn't do that. Plus, most of the tracks were mixed and mastered within four to five days by the same engineer. All of that played into account. That's why we wanted to call it a mixtape, because of the way it was packaged, and because four songs had been released. The whole vibe was about not taking it seriously and giving you a straight-up, raw piece of art.

Did being in Goa play a part in determining the sound?
It played a major part. We wrote most of the new songs in Goa. And I remember DJ Sa coming in one day and listening to some of our old songs, and saying, ‘Why aren't you releasing these?' So we thought, ‘Why not release them this month itself?' and locked ourselves into the studio for the next three days. So, Goa and its vibe played 90 per cent of the role in making this project happen.

The track Nadaan has a lovely melody. How much do you think you will retain that sound going forward?
That melody, that sound, is our sound. It's what we are really good at and the melody you are talking about is actually thanks to Calm's vocals. It's something we are starting to get deeper into, so expect a lot more of it.

There is a certain calmness that sets in at the middle of the mixtape. What does that say about the musical space that you two are in?
That calmness is a sense of maturity. It's us taking a pause and saying things slowly so that people can feel it. As you grow up, you experience different things, you mature, and you talk about it. And when you say those things, a different vibe sets in. When you listen to the tracks from top to bottom, you see the impact of the individual songs that together make a mixtape. That middle moment is when we are talking about things that are personal and deeper than being just at the surface level. Water is deep and calm at the same time - that depth is where the calmness lies.

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Mixtape vs album

Mixtapes are compilations of songs that can feature different people. But originally, they were made by rappers to showcase their skills and since they were handed out to fans for free, they were made as inexpensive as possible. Studio albums typically have a higher sound quality and involve a lot more money being spent.