The contemporary Indian music scene is booming, and hundreds of up-and-coming bands are contributing to this musical success. However, this present era is also saturated with indie bands, and sometimes their collective sound falls under perhaps unintended mimicry of the West or a category that can come under the umbrella of more of a collective than a unique individual sound that is fresh. Nevertheless, few bands are breaking the mold and bringing a rejuvenated twist to the indie music scene and the New Delhi band Green Park certainly falls under that variety.
Formed in late 2021, Green Park is a three-piece indie pop band comprising Rishabh Singh on the drums, Siddharth Gupta playing the bass and Arpan Kumar, who is the guitar-wielding vocalist. Growing up, they were thoroughly influenced by the American rock band, Beach Boys and the legendary English band, Beatles, especially their later albums such as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour. Green Park released their debut EP, All My Pictures Have Grown Smiles, in the following year.
Over the next two years, they worked tirelessly on their first album, Newly Aged, which was released in March 2024. The music combines unexpected elements to create a one-of-a-kind sound. It's both calming and edgy, with swirling synths, dramatic orchestral arrangements, traditional Indian strings and percussion, electric guitars with distortion, and rich harmonies. The band isn't afraid to experiment beyond typical compositional tools. For instance, the track Bappi has samples from a famous 80s composer, while "Papita" is a fun recording made on an iPhone at a house party for their cat.
Aging is the primary theme their debut album explores. The band members find themselves at the cusp of youth and middle age and that’s the inspiration behind the album title. To put it slightly comically, they do not have the same youthful vigor as a regular 25 or 26-year-old as they face new physical problems like back pain and hair loss. But jokes aside, the album goes beyond the surface and delves into the complicated emotional strings one must play or endure at a certain age.
The album evokes a sense of loss of innocence that is all-pervading during youth but gradually vanishes into oblivion as the years go by. There is also a different form of loss and longing that this album explores — the nostalgia-ridden sadness that comes with the realization that probably the greatest romance of our lives has already happened during our youth and we shall never find something quite like it as we grow older. The album also delves into the theme of the band’s uncertain cultural identity in post-colonial India and the importance of communication in all aspects of life. However, the album exudes an overall positive outlook and is about taking the emotional storms of our lives and turning them into art and music.
There is a question that I enjoy asking every band when I interview them and that’s about which one is their favorite track from the album as almost always it is different from the fan favorite. Green Park shares that The Bug is the track that captures the band’s artistic identity most thoroughly.
"There are distinct sections to the track — it initially begins noisy and slowly mellows down into this quiet, loneliesque soundscape before bursting back with synth-heavy sounds and 808s. This makes it sound quite modern and new. The track then ends on a different path with a segment comprising piano, saxophone, and guitar. The Bug was also the song we recorded before any of the other songs in the album. It was recorded live in a room. However, the track changed over time as new collaborators came on board. It reflects the different tastes and qualities we appreciate in the sound of a band, which goes through changes and time-jumping from retro to modern and overall, experimental".Green Park, in an interview with Homegrown
The fundamental driving force behind Green Park is its belief in the power of collaboration. Each member has powerful expressions, which synthesize into making them function and perform as a singular unit. As evident in this album, they take a maximalist approach to creating music, and the amount of effort spent on each track shines through. The band is currently on a summer tour in the country performing Newly Aged.
Listen to the album below:
Follow Green Park here.
If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
Teesta Troupers' Debut Album Echoes The Earnest Resilience & Strength Of Their Homeland
Turnback Caves' New Single Is A Sonic & Visual Journey Into The Heart Of Kolkata
Explore The Golden Age Of Kolkata Indie Rock With Legendary Drummer Nondon Bagchi