INDIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL MUSICAL DUO COLONIAL COUSINS RETURN AFTER A 11 YEAR HIATUS
BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM `ONCE MORE’ RELEASED AMISDT HOARDS OF FANS AT A POPULAR YOUTH HANG OUT IN MUMBAI
Universal Music today launched one of India’s most popular and highly respected acts, Colonial Cousin’s brand new studio album ‘Colonial Cousins Once More’. Pioneers of the sound that fuses Indian and Western musical genres, Hariharan and Lesle Lewis known together as the Colonial Cousins are back after more than a decade to enthrall their legion of fans.
On the association of the duo with Universal Music, Devraj Sanyal, Managing Director, Universal Music India& SAARC, said, “Colonial Cousins are a legend. From 1996 to date it’s been a momentous journey. Colonial Cousin Once More launches the new era of the cousins with UMGI. We are very proud to partner Colonial Cousins on this new journey which will expose their music to a brand new audience apart from their loyal fans the world over. This album is one that we think will break all records of the past simply because the music is incredible and in the now. “
Since the inception of Colonial Cousins in 1996, they have enjoyed massive popularity and their unique blend of traditional and contemporary music won over the hearts of audiences all over the country. With massive public acclaim, the pair received the prestigious invitation to perform on MTV UNPLUGGED in London, an honor that was bestowed on an Indian band for the first time. They also won the MTV Asia Viewer’s Choice Award, the Channel V Award and the US Billboards Award.
The two have had three successful career albums, with their last work in 2001 with the release of ‘Aatma’ post which they went on to explore and flourish in their own individual careers. They attribute the long break to lack of time, having been caught up with their own projects over the last decade. Now, 11 years later, they have come together to release their brand new album ‘Colonial Cousins Once More’.
In a first of its kind event, to launch their latest album, the duo took to the jostling promenade of Carter Road in the busy suburb of Bandra, Mumbai, in a musical ensemble that worked its way from Otters Club to the amphitheater, all along performing music from their new album on top of a 40 foot canter. The performance brought out fans galore from all around who came to watch the legends. The event concluded with the official unveiling of album ‘Colonial Cousins Once More’.
Speaking on the launch of their new album, Lesle said, “We’re very happy to be launching an album together. We feel that the time is right to do this and there is a great platform right now for independent artists to really flourish. The launch is a great concept and we had a lot of fun doing it. We really wanted out fans to be a part of the music video and we did it for the people by the people.”
“We very excited about the album, and we’re even more excited about this launch. It’s great to be doing something different and we’re going to experience this for the first time and we’re happy that our fans got to experience it with us.” added Hariharan.
The album is expected to be a reconnaissance of the classic charm of the ‘cousins’ with a fresh sound and a well-rounded blend of genres ranging from rock, blues, soul all coming together in a seemingly effortless blend of Indian and western in true colonial style.
About The Album
The first song the album ‘Aaiyo Re´ brings together the soothing sounds and rhythms of the East and Northeast woven together to portray the joy of a farmer at the first sound of rain while ‘Ma Ma Re, Ma Ma Re’ is a groovy sounding up-tempo track made to sound effortless by Hariharan but a serious exercise for the vocal chords. There is also a fun, ‘masti’ track called ‘Janaabe Ali’ full of excitement and energy with a ‘tutti’ section blending the sounds of the shehenai, flute & clarinet together. There is also a heavy metal song called ‘Kaise Samjhaye’ set to the beat of the Maharashtrian ‘Lazhim’. Blues fans can look forward to ‘Tak Dhina Dhin’ that wanders into the space of retro-cool marrying the sounds of the blues guitar with the tabla and kanjira. ‘Sajnaye’ soulfully laments the pain of a love lost in a simple minimalist melody and the album wraps up with the introspective ‘Radhe Govind Gopal’ a rejoinder to the ’96 hit Krishna by the cousins.
