Disco Puppet aka Shoumik Biswas is a musician and visual artist. He is also part of Bangalore based collective, Consolidate. Shoumik has been releasing music as Disco Puppet since 2014 and has played at some of the best stages in the country including Magnetic Fields Festival, F of X Festival, Boiler Room (Mumbai edition) The Humming Tree, The Habitat, and more. Internationally, Shoumik has been on a 6 city tour of China in 2017, played at the Kuwait Rising Festival in 2019 and most recently toured Bangkok and Vietnam. After receiving the TOTO Funds the Arts Award for music in 2017, Shoumik has released 3 albums and 3 EPs.
Inception
I started my musical journey in Kolkata, playing drums. I was in eighth standard. Over the next few years, while I played with other musicians, I wanted to be able to write music of my own. I was able to do this when I moved to Bangalore, in 2011, to study design. Here I met some wonderful people, with whom I started this band called Space Behind the Yellow Room. This is when I started experimenting with computer music, so to say. I played drums, sang and added some electronic samples to our songs. I had acquired some recording equipment as well, to learn how to record our songs at home.
In the summer of 2014, I was to do an internship in a design studio called ‘Yes, Yes, Why Not?’ in Mumbai. In preparation of my trip away from drums and the band, I recorded samples of my entire drum kit so I could do some musical experiments in my free time. During this time is when I released my first EP as Disco Puppet. It’s called Astronot. It was essentially me learning the software and trying to write music on my own.
Anatomy of the Genre
Identifying a genre has always been difficult. Even with the band (Space Behind the Yellow Room) we struggled to decide what it was exactly that we were supposed to be. We stuck with post rock, or whatever the writers preferred.
Now, with Disco Puppet, I usually go with experimental electronic music. Although, that’s not really what it is. It’s pop maybe? I like experimental pop. Let’s go with that. It’s also difficult because consistency is not my forté. My sound has constantly been changing.
Inspiration
I have no idea. It’s the feeling of creation I suppose. It’s hard to explain what it feels like. With music, one essentially manufactures a feeling, right? The rush of being able to induce a feeling in someone, by playing a combination of sounds is tremendous. For me, that someone is me. I guess I make music just for the rush of it.
Thoughts to Melt to
While writing this EP (Thoughts to Melt to), I wanted to answer some questions about music and its presentation. Can a song (or a piece of music) hold up without the best production? What does it really mean for music to sound finished or professional? These thoughts began to take hold when I revisited Daniel Johnston's early work and the popular 1983 album "Hi How Are You?" particularly interesting. The simplicity of the cassette recordings stood out. This had me rediscover cultural artefacts from the past while isolation measures got me stagnating in the present, without a trace of what the future could be.
Disco-grafitti
"Thoughts to Melt to" actually is one of seven albums and EPs I Have released. It started with Astronot in 2014. After which I released Spring (EP) in 2016 via Consolidate (which is our collective). In 2017, I released I’m Going Home. Later that year, was the release of Princess This, again via Consolidate. 2018 was a lot of shows, so no releases. Maybe some singles. I don’t exactly remember. In the first half of 2019, I released Betti Bebbi Street (EP). Later that year I released Aranyer Din Ratri along with a theatrical tour. This was again, via our collective, Consolidate. The last one was Thoughts to Melt to.
Breathe Life to Art
It is based on certain isolated moments from my life, kind of put together in a narrative structure. Aranyer Din Ratri was made like one long song. Almost like a film, but with sound. I was inspired to write this album, from Aranyer Din Ratri, the 1970 Satyajit Ray film. I remember watching it one night. It really got me thinking about the mundane, everyday-ness of life. And how interesting that was.
Psychological ROI
When it rains, it pours. The feeling of an audience singing along, or dancing when I play my music for them, is irreplaceable. Or even when somebody will message me saying they loved so and so song and they listen to it all the time etc. That’s the level of connection that an artist wants. Well, at least I do. I second guess it occasionally. But I know it’s a feeling worth chasing.
Puddles & Hurdles
Last year was probably the only year that I did only music and it wasn’t great. After all the years that I’ve been playing music, I managed to do one 3 city tour for my album launch which made some money. That too, was because it was produced by Red Bull and Mixtape. But that’s about it. It’s a difficult game. I feel nearly impossible. Luckily I do design work besides music. That helps bring in more stable income.
Stimulating An Album
There’s obviously the emotional investment one puts into it. It takes a lot of time and patience to put together an album. There’s the visual aspect of it. The album art, maybe some videos. Figuring out promo is quite draining. That’s the hardest part honestly (for me).
Indian Footprint
I think some interesting things are happening here in small pockets. All I know is that we need to find a voice that isn’t borrowed so heavily from America or UK. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that. The sound of these places are what’s considered the global sound. But I think we have something bigger, that we must learn to tap into. Maybe some people have. I know I’m trying.
On the Anvil
I have an album in the works for now. Learning more and as much as I can. Mostly just waiting to see what happens now. This so called ‘new normal’. Will there even be a down the road?
Well, thank you once again for spending time with us, giving us valuable insight into your career. We wish you all the very best of luck in your endeavors. See you soon at a Concert.
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