Many Roots Ensemble Shares New Album, ‘Echoes of Origins’
Mumbai-based collective Many Roots Ensemble, known to produce an engaging soundscape at the intersection of jazz, funk, folk, fusion, experimental, and classical music, has recently released their debut album ‘Echoes…
Mumbai-based collective Many Roots Ensemble, known to produce an engaging soundscape at the intersection of jazz, funk, folk, fusion, experimental, and classical music, has recently released their debut album ‘Echoes Of Origins.’
In this feature, we walk you through the album and also give you a sneak peek of the Many Roots Ensemble’s live setup.
Carried by a core quartet of musicians Subid Khan (guitar), Jarryd Rodrigues (saxophone), Souvik Bhattachary (bass), and Abhishek Debsikdar (drums), the album was crafted in 2023 and points to the Many Roots Ensemble ethos: “To create music that is a blend of various influences and sounds they have been brought up with or inspired by, supported by tasteful grooves and rhythms.”
Several guest acts feature on the record, effortlessly unlocking a myriad of sonic textures and oozing flavors of Afrobeat, disco, electronic, R&B, and jazz. Looped in are the musical prowess of hip-hop artist RANJ, vocalist Sampriti, MC Mawali, pianist Anurag Naidu, multi-instrumentalist Shirish Malhotra, and percussionist Umesh Warbhuvan, to name a few.
‘Initiation Dance’ sits atop the album, pulsating with rhythmic bass yanks, beating percussions, and lush horn segments. Also plugged in is MC Mawali, who offers up his conscious lyrical wordplay with fiery rap verses in Marathi. Inspired by DnB, ‘Urban Junglist’ follows next, producing a playful yet sinister tune akin to the soundtrack of a satirical crime film.
Next up is ‘Resurgence’, which lowers the tempo and is arranged with swirling sax notes, lively percussions, and picky acoustic guitar work. ‘Fault in Thy Heart’ slaps on a stellar hip-hop/R&B vibe plastered against a warm jazzy melody. Glossy vocal performances via singers RANJ and Sampriti ensue, and the music is also infused with a slick bass display.
Weaved with flickering bass patterns, speedy drums, and a flashy Konnakol presentation from Umesh Warbhuvan, arrives ‘Valhalla’ – an upbeat ballad that links Carnatic music to the banquets of the Norse Gods. ‘Cold Turkey’ unleashes a funky dance beat with MC Mawali barraging in once again spewing quick-fire rap segments.
‘Ethio-Todi’ rounds out the album, wheeling in musician Shirish Malhotra on tenor saxophone and Anurag Naidu on the keyboards, dipping into Ethiopian themes minced with Indian ragas. The single produces a grand flurry of sax riffs pleated between bopping upbeat sonics.
Joined by saxophone virtuoso Rhys Sebastian, Many Roots Ensemble shook the foundations of live music haunt Bonobo in Bandra on August 21, delivering a top-notch performance to a buzzing crowd. Their banger of a set featured tracks ‘Invocation,’ ‘Ijo,’ and ‘Black Indian’ from their 2019 record ‘Black Indian EP.’
Held in a rectangular gig space inside the venue, attendees were treated to a spectacular horn joust courtesy of Rhys and Jarryd. The setlist rolled on with renditions of ‘Initiation Dance,’ ‘Valhalla,’ ‘Urban Jungalist,’ ‘Ethio-Todi’ as well as some unreleased material.
Album Credits –
All tracks composed by Many Roots Ensemble
Drums – Abhishek Debsikdar
Guitars – Subid Khan
Bass – Souvik Bhattacharya
Saxophone/Keyboards – Jarryd Rodrigues
Percussions – Umesh Warbhuvan
Vocals – MC Mawali, RANJ, and Sampriti
Tenor saxophone – Shirish Malhotra
Synths – Rohit Gupta
Keyboards – Manavon Massar, Anurag Naidu
Recording engineer – Hersh Desai
Mixed and mastered by – Tamzid Rahman and Sai Bundele
Find Many Roots Ensemble on: Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
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