MUMBAI: Music has evolved, and so have the mediums of experimentations. Lasers, computers, environmental elements and shaping and reshaping finer and wider details of instruments to seek or create sound have defined the ‘new-age’ experiments, and Australian musician Ben Walsh offers another example of the same.
Known for his 90s act ‘The Bird’ that focused on live drum n bass sounds, Walsh’s restless and curious self-evolving approach towards music now brings him back to India with further reliance on technology, fresher concepts and promising collaborations. On 8 October 2016, Walsh will be executing a live solo set called ‘Remix Experiment’ that incorporates modern technology and the musician’s heaviest influence – jazz.
“I’m bringing the latest technology I have been designing over the last five years with me. Through my music (when solo) I always use electronics to make music wrap around my live performance, and make use of my musical mind to the fullest if possible – rather than technology determining what’s possible. Riff however is another story, it will be standing alongside a collection of fantastic musicians, learning and collaborating,” informed the experimental percussionist on his upcoming visit to Delhi, an initiative as a result of association between Australian High Commission and Wild City. “It’s a wonderful juxtaposition,” further added Walsh.
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The Australian is a showman, who describes his art as “indescribably ‘live experience’”. Walsh uses turntables, vocals and triggering to manipulate the electronics, while keeping human dynamics and tempo as the primary focus. He will exhibit his new invention called the ‘gravity scratch’ – a unique device that allows him to scratch as fast as he can drum with incredible sensitivity. He also uses video mixing to create an abstract visual narrative to his music. The end result of this one-man show is a heavily percussive, jazz infused, hyper jungle electronic music that’s crafted for the dancefloor.
Elaborating more on gravity scratch, Walsh replied, “It’s just a different approach to a crossfader. I remade it to react differently from a sideways motion and using a fader; to being triggered rhythmically using my hand speed as a drummer and allowing very precise and fast cutting.”
After exploring commercial music, almost two decades ago, Walsh embraced the idea of experimenting with sounds through percussion. And now travelling across the globe and engaging with other cultures (he recently worked alongside 30 of Brazil’s best drummers), Walsh will continue the practice with Rajasthani folk instrumentalists. Survival, adventure, culture, knowledge, exchange, and a plethora of reasons count as Walsh’s primary reasons to allow other non-mainstream sounds in his act. “I’m a different artist to most and I am happy to go wherever they would like to see what I do. I love travelling and am constantly on the road. I have hardly been home this year.” What’s fascinating about Walsh is the sheer hatred towards repeating his acts, thus ensuring no set gets played twice.
Walsh, however, encourages musicians to experiment once in a while. “I am doing something weird and new, and no you can’t just see it on Facebook. I’m not trying to sell anything. I am just trying to find a sound in my head, that somehow I can’t seem to find much these days. But I hope I do encourage all people who see me play to find their own passion and give time to it, in whatever they do.”
A performance on 8 October at Bandstand, Delhi will be followed by collaboration with Rajasthani local musicians for a concert called RIFF Robust in Jodhpur would highlight Walsh’s 2016 India visit. The drummer had previously performed in India as part of a multi-city tour three years ago.
