16th November, 2024
13th September, 2021Vishal J.Singh is a renowned multi-instrumentalist, film music composer and producer, known worldwide for his multi-genre band "Amogh Symphony". He has worked as a music director and composer for many Bollywood films, capped by his work on Anurag Kashyap’s legendary Gangs of Wasseypur series where his contributions included hit tracks like Womaniya, Keh ke lunga feat. Amit Trivedi and Bahut khub.
Vishal has also composed experimental music for a number of European art-films and featured in several tracks by international artists like Mark Hawkins(USA), LVM Trio(USA) with Luke Jaeger, Mad Essence(Ukraine), and more. His remarkable guitar solo which he performed as guest guitarist with Marty Friedman in the song "Celestial" by famous Djent act "Skyharbor" has earned him wide acclaim by the fans of modern progressive metal.
He now brings to the table a new song Come Away that talks about loneliness and an ever-present longing for connection in a world that is, paradoxically, more connected than ever before. Addressing the concerns of modern love with ambient downtempo music that evokes the dull pain of heartbreak, this is a quintessential breakup song, albeit for the YouTube generation.
Come Away is a composition that captures a man at his most vulnerable moment, and to portray the intricacies and dynamics of heartbreak in today’s time. Singh deliberately chose to compose the song in the key of C. The key compliments Urmila Sivadas’s naturally low voice and adds a confident and assertive texture to her vocals. This gave a realistic depth to her voice that might make it more identifiable with women today than the high-pitched vocals more usually associated with femininity. On the other hand, Surya Prakash Medhi had to raise his vocal range to match the same key. His voice naturally falls between a baritone and a tenor, but here it goes up to alto and leans towards falsetto. This contrasts his voice with Urmila’s low pitch vocals and exudes a raw vulnerability felt when stepping out of one’s comfort zone, naturally capturing the struggle and unsettlement felt during heartbreak.
Using a high pitch in male voices to convey heightened emotions and vulnerability is a time tested technique. Kishore Kumar, for example, famously used high pitched falsetto yodeling as an expression of openness, joy and unabashed abandon of youth. It is this seemingly simple nuance that highlights the narrative capacity of Come Away.
Both Surya and Urmila speak of the same sentiments, sung in the same melody. However, while one comes across as rational, mature and in control, the other seems raw, chaotic and emotionally vulnerable. Music makes you feel feelings and lyrics make you think thoughts. It’s intriguing how altering the music in a song changes the way you feel and experience the same lyrics, changing the perception of the song itself.
Speaking on the song, Singh shares,“I actually wrote this song for a romantic web-series and the story of these two characters was given to me. The Director told me that she will shoot this part of the film based on the track. My first initial thought was - How would you tell a modern love story without visuals but only with music? Not background music but a song that also flows with the dynamic of background music score's storytelling? I was told to make something melancholic, slow motioned, cinematic song that symbolises true love and how it hurts. While composing Come Away, I imagined a boy who is vulnerable, feminine, displays emotion and love and who is in pain and a girl who is vulnerable too, but tough, masculine and in control of her display of emotion and care even though she is in more pain than the boy. The film couldn't be done, and the script was changed. But I just had to finish the song that I had started, more so because I love creating music based on concepts.”
The song Come Away is available on No Binary, an independent record label founded in 2020 by Kaushik J. Barua and Vikram Singh Kushwaha. Having started out with programming events through their organisation Qrated in 2017, Kaushik and Vikram worked to create a community of independent musicians and supporters from the ground up. In this endeavor, they are supported by the musical genius of Vishal J Singh, co-composer and producer of legendary soundtracks like ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.
Do check out the song Come Away on YouTube:
