Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) There is no denying the fact that Bollywood is a major portion of the Indian music pie. But electronic music band Jalebee Cartel feels winds of change are gripping the nation and other forms of music are finding voice through various channels.

“Of course Bollywood is huge in India. It will always remain the undisputed king of music in India. But now everyone has the internet and people have the opportunity to sample new music from across the world,” G-Force Arjun, who plays bass guitar for the band, told IANS.

“This has helped start a music revolution in India,” he added.

Arjun Vagale from the band seconds this and feels technology has heralded a change in the music industry.

“With the world becoming smaller and technology developing the way it is, there really is nothing we can’t hear or see that people abroad hear or see. So it’s progressing into a global community of sorts,” said Vagale, who takes care of laptop, mixing and electronics.

“Gone are the days when one only had a few music choices in stores. Today the market has opened up and the people are taking charge of what they want, rather than what’s available,” he added.

The four-member band was formed in 2004 when there were just a handful of people who had heard of live electronic music gigs. G-Force Arjun remembers how they were often mistaken as a “rock band”.

“The scene is evolving and it’s (electronic music) slowly finding its place, but like most movements, it will take a while till its actually there. Back to those days, live electronic music was unheard in India. People often mistook Jalebee Cartel to be a rock band!,” he said.

The band is often considered as the pioneer of the electronic dance music (EDM) scene in India and have often been credited for putting the country on the international EDM map.

The band also comprises Ash Roy and Ashvin Mani Sharma who take care of vocals and percussion, and laptop and synths respectively.

The Delhi-based band has come a long way from their initial days when they used to play for free to a time when they play at international music festivals like Fusion Festival (Germany), Perrier Chill Out Festival (Dubai), Paradiso (Netherlands), in addition to gigs in the US, Canada, Sweden, Indonesia and South Korea.

Jalebee Cartel, which has hits like “Tough Cookie” and “Beautiful Rising” to their credit, is all set to perform at the Sunburn Festival Dec 27-29 in Goa where they feel the energy level of the audience is high.

About performing in their own country, Vagale said: “Home is home, you know the people, you know what they like. So it’s easy playing for them. The trick is how you can surprise them and make the set more memorable. There’s been amazing support for our sounds through the years and I’m truly grateful to our fans for sticking by us.”

Roy said: “It’s always a pleasure to play for the home audience. I mean the energy level is so high. Whatever energy we give to the crowd while we play we get the same level back or may be more.”

In their seven-year-long association, the band has come up with only one album “One Point Nothing” but have produced more than 50-60 singles. And in this cluttered space of the overloading music scene, the band finds its inspiration from mundane things.

“It is difficult to keep the same level of motivation and inspiration day in and day out. However, I try to find inspiration in everyday life. So far it has worked for me. Also, my band mates inspire me more than anything else,” said G-Force Arjun.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)