Aniruddh Menon - Lovesongs
Bandcamp/Soundcloud
The places one lives in invariably lend contrast to each other. A day in Aniruddh Menon's life would start with running late for school in the backwaters of Tripunithura, Kochi, followed by lazy afternoons spent on farmland in Elapulli, Palakkad. Then, a return to a stubbornly medium-sized old villa in Satwa, Dubai that houses 8 families from across India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The day would likely end with a post-dinner party in SFS Colony, Yelahanka - one that's doomed to be shut down by neighbors calling the police.
His debut LP Lovesongs, a follow up to 2014 EP Another Summer, is this story told through obscure samples and lo-fi beats. It builds on the unique sonic pallette that Aniruddh has created over the years as the producer of electronic/acoustic act Machli, and through his solo releases. In Lovesongs, he attempts to weave a soundscape that acknowledges the sounds he grew up around without succumbing to nostalgia. The album features a number of collaborators, from Machli bandmate Pardafash to Disco Puppet, Ustad Kitty and Benkii, each helping make the record a little more personal.