Entertainment / Masala Coffee: The Coolest Fusion Band You Need To Know

Masala Coffee: The Coolest Fusion Band You Need To Know

Entertainment Sep 14, 2022

by Mrinalini Sundar

Masala Coffee is one of the brightest fusion bands to come out of India and they are coming for a few shows near Toronto Canada on September 16th and 18th. We chat with the band about their tour, their latest album and the unique story behind their name!

(Update: After publishing this post we got word that due to visa issues the band will have to postpone their Canadian tour dates. Get to know more about the band here and follow them on Instagram to get the latest tour updates).

Introducing, Masala Coffee a folk fusion music band and the brainchild of percussionist Varun Sunil. Masala Coffee was formed in late 2014 and shot to YouTube stardom through amazing performances they delivered on the Indian television channel Kappa TV. Their catchy arrangements of popular folk songs went viral and their music has since captivated audiences across the globe. Varun’s powerful and entertaining percussion has been a showstopper!

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The band has nine songwriters, artists, and dreamers who tap into India’s rich musical and poetic heritage to create a contemporary and global sound. We speak to Varun Sunil about the band and its journey.

Performing for the first time in Canada, the band is extremely excited for people to hear their unique sound. For all those who haven’t heard them and are exploring music, Varun says, “Our music is a fusion between folk and rock. We also perform covers to popular Indian music and render it differently and in different styles. We basically like to experiment with our music. Our music is all about contemporary masala of genres. We perform in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Arabic, and Bengali. We have a lot of surprises waiting for our audience and expect energy that you have never witnessed before.”

**Masala Coffee The Coolest Fusion Band You Need To Know: Masala Coffee after one of their sold-out shows.** Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/masalacoffee

How did the band come up with the name? Varun says, “All our mixes and recording are done in Mumbai. We were working on an original and it was just me and the sound engineer in the studio. At around 2 am, we got out to have chai. In Mumbai, the Cyclewala masala chai is amazing. We were brainstorming for names and we thought masala and caffeine are a unique combination. The name represents our band really well — it is a blend of genres and languages. Plus, each member in the band comes with our own music, Masala Coffee literally blends all of this.”

Listen to the band perform and it is almost impossible to miss their distinctive alternative sound which stems from the guitar duties of seasoned musicians David Crimson & Preeth PS — or “the twin towers” as they are candidly referred to by band mates. Their foot-tapping riffs and melodies in Masala Coffee’s songwriting have listeners always grooving. Constantly infusing traditional acoustic sounds into futuristic sonic drones, they make each song tell a different story and give folk rock a totally new perspective.

The band is currently working on an album called “Ektara”. They are also working on a Telugu movie called Gunde Katha Vintara. Talking about their journey from when they started in 2014 to today, Varun looks back with nostalgia and talks about the band’s progress. He says, “2014 to 2019 was a great time. We performed in Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, and many other places. Right now, after COVID — we have two new vocalists, Aslam and Crishan. Although they are the most recent members (late 2018), they have brought in their own style and personalities to take Masala Coffee’s music to the next level. These soft-spoken and unsuspecting frontmen bring the roof down at every concert! Uber-talented pianist, keyboard player & gear geek Steve Kottoor complete the band’s lineup. He brings a sound to the band that is unique and pushes every composition to take an unsuspecting turn with his witty musical ideas. I also believe that our crowd has expanded. We sing and perform in more languages and now that the world has opened up and the band is traveling, our music is reaching different listeners. I believe the energy of the band and on the stage is a lot different.”

Varun considers AR Rahman, Ilayaraja and Ustad Zakhir Hussain as his inspirations. Talking about collaborations, Varun hopes to work with Trilok Gurtu, an Indian percussionist and composer, one day. The folktronic band as they call themselves, hopes to work in a Hollywood someday.

Comparing the Indian indie music scene to movie music, Varun says, ” Music for a film depends on the director. You have limitations in terms of freedom. But if I want to do Carnatic music mixed with electronic trans — and add some sort of dubstep to the mix, I can do it and release it independently. We as a band are open to doing both. Whether we work solo or in a movie, you will always find the essence of our music, our brand will be visible to the audience and they can identify that this is Masala Coffee.”

Main Image Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

Mrinalini Sundar

Author

Mrinalini Sundar (new_girl_in_to) has worked with various Indian national, international publications including Times Of India and is currently based out of Toronto. She's constantly in search of high adventure, exotic food, and new experiences. She is the happiest amidst mountains, with no wi-fi.

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Masala Coffee: The Coolest Fusion Band You Need To Know

by Mrinalini Sundar

Mrinalini Sundar

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