Ragatronics – Reincarnation Part 1 and 2 (2023)
Reincarnation Part 1 and 2 is the fascinating eighth album by the duo behind the Ragatronics project. On this recording, the musicians revisit various older compositions and re-interpret them with new harmonies and improvisations.
The intention of Ragatronics is to intertwine Ragas from Indian Classical music with rock, jazz, and electronic music elements. The musicians dexterously synthesize their music by using a computer program that performs a musical code. “We compose the musical code and occasionally add samples or snippets using real instruments.”
Reincarnation Part 1 and 2 brings together components found in western and eastern music in a unique alchemy. Since Western musical genres are typically crafted using the concepts of Harmony, that meant experimenting with the use of harmony in Ragas while still preserving a faithful musical theme and mood that characterizes the Raga.
“Ragatronics is built upon the idea that to explore Ragas and harmonies within the Ragas, we should operate within the framework of a musically consonant scale, and sometimes within the framework of a well tuned tanpura for that scale. This ensures that we are true to a Raga and its scale at a microtonally accurate level while exploring the harmonic relationships from within that consonant scale rather than by imposing any preconceived notion of harmony.”
Ragatronics includes S. Balachander, an Indian classical music multi-instrumentalist and inventor of a new instrument called Chandraveena. S. Balachander is trained in microtonal music. The other member of the duo is Aravind Iyer, a scientist, computer engineer, music technologist and overall music enthusiast.
Buy Reincarnation Part 1 and 2.
Author: Claudia Taylor
