 “We use Carnatic ragas as a foundation,” said Swaminathan Seetharaman, keyboardist, lyricist and manager of the band Agam. “We then experiment with musical themes that embellish the raga and give it a more contemporary feel.” The resulting music occupies the middle ground between Carnatic classical music and classic rock.
Agam’s sound is a result of the coming together of six musicians of different persuasions: each had influences as wide apart as Carnatic, funk, jazz and rock to offer. “When the band jammed together, a style of music evolved, which had a strong Carnatic soul with a subtle, yet pronounced rock spirit to it,” Seetharaman said. “We consciously make an effort to imbibe the theoretical concepts of pure Carnatic, while making sure that our imagination and expression are not crippled by it.”
Surprisingly, an otherwise resistant Carnatic community has not declared Agam as an act of heresy. On the contrary, their reception to Agam’s music has been rather warm, according to Seetharaman. The band, which sings in all south Indian languages and Hindi, even won a TV reality contest judged by AR Rahman and went on to record a single in his studios after the contest. “Till today, that recording remains the biggest landmark in the eight years that Agam has existed,” said Seetharaman. Darshan Manakkal
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