Midival Punditz get Amazon recognition

Amazon.com picks ‘Har ek baat’ from their album, Hello Hello, over songs by U2 and Bob Dylan in their Best of 2009 list Nikhil Taneja reports.

In their 12-year long career, India’s truly international electronica artiste-duo Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj, together known as the Midival Punditz, already have a heap of global acclaim to their credit, having contributed to the soundtrack of the Jude Law, Julia Roberts-starrer Closer, as well as to television series Prison Break and Six Feet Under.

HT Image

Now, the talented duo has more to cheer about. The world’s largest online retailer, Amazon.com has named the song, ‘Har ek baat’ from their third album, Hello Hello, on their list of top 10 dance and electronic songs of 2009, that also features artiste’s like Pet Shop Boys and Passion Pit.

Unexpected honour

“Amazon.com is one of the biggest online stores to buy music from, so this honour means a lot to us,” smiles Raj, “The fact that a global leader like them have recognised our work as the best of 2009 means that somewhere, we are doing something right.”

The song was also chosen No 28 on the list of 100 best songs of 2009, ahead of songs by Black Eyed Peas, Bob Dylan, Shakira and U2. The Amazon.com music team, on its

website, calls these the songs that “rocked our hearts, minds and headphones in 2009” on their ‘Best of 2009 Music’ web page. The album, Hello Hello, also finds a place on their Best Albums list, at No 92.

The Punditz can’t believe that the song has made such an impact. “It is especially surprising because it’s an Urdu song and all the other songs on the list are in English. It gives us great pleasure since it means we don’t really have to conform to the set standards of making electronic songs in English,” says Raj.

Special song

“We have always done things that appeal to our own music sense,” he continues. “We have composed electronica songs with Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu lyrics and when people recognise such a thing, it’s great because it tells you that music is truly universal.”

This song is also special to the Punditz since it is one of their few songs that actually came out of an on-stage jam. The duo had started performing this track on stage in 2007, with basic drum arrangements and it was East India Company’s Papon, who’s sung the song, who came up with the idea of adding Ghalib’s lyrics to it.

“We started with a bare track, went on stage to perform it live and did an impromptu jam – and then went back into the studio to incorporat the live song’s magic into the song recording,” reveals Raj. “It’s heartening to know that this process of creating music also works.”

Hello Hello, which released this year, is the Punditz’ third album after their self-titled debut album in 2002, which was followed by Midival Times in 2005. It is also their most adventurous. The duo has experimented most with their sound in this album, giving electronica twists to ghazals and sufi songs.

“We consciously made an effort to be adventurous,” says Raj.

Adventurous album

“We drifted away from what we are known for, and the majority of audience and reviewers have respected the fact that we aren’t sticking to one style of music. And that’s a good place to be in, when you do what you want to do as opposed to what you are supposed to do – since that’s when you fall apart,” he adds.

The Punditz are now back in the studio for some fresh tracks with their long-time friend and collaborator, Karsh Kale, and are also constantly on tour across the globe.