Music with a mission

Indian Ocean’s latest album Tu Hai sparks contemplation on a range of issues from existence of God to climate change

- NIRMAL JOVIAL

It would be a disservice to Indian Ocean to separate its music from the larger socio-economic and political issues embedded in it. Renowned for its eclectic live performances, the rock band has, over three decades, carved out a niche for itself by blending classical music with rock, jazz, and fusion. The band’s line-up—Rahul Ram, Amit Kilam, Himanshu Joshi, Nikhil Rao and Tuheen Chakravorty—include both atheists and theists, resulting in a unique mix of perspectives. And, this is evident in their latest track, ‘Tu Hai’, from the album by the same name, where the band explores the process of questioning a supreme being.

The philosophical dimensions of the track encapsulate the album as it raises serious questions on a range of interconnected issues—from environmental sustainability to spiritual solace.

“You can put a question mark or three dots after the words tu hai [and both would bring different meanings and perspectives],” said Joshi, vocalist of the band. The song was released in two parts on streaming platforms. “In one, it questions the existence of a supreme being, citing the problems that the world faces, and in the other, it takes a more philosophical route to accept the concept of God in different forms,” said Joshi.