Blending complex composition and ethereal soundscapes, Yaatri tempt you down an introspective path with their captivating music.
You’ve mentioned your sound is intended to ‘capture the heart and mind’. Could you elaborate on this?
Liam: I came across a lovely quote somewhere that said if art is decorating space then music is
decorating time. Time is one the basic building blocks of music, and one big part of our music is how we play with rhythm and groove.
Jona: Despite our music’s intricacies, we’re writing for everyone and want anyone to be able to connect with it emotionally.
You blend a lot of influences into your music, such as Indian rhythms and Scandinavian jazz. Do you have a personal connection to these influences?
L: Having spent my entire childhood moving between cities in Asia, Africa and Europe, one of the only cultural and geographical constants in my life was my connection to India. I’ve realised my Indian heritage is a big part of who I am and India’s music has started to resonate with me deeply. My friend Zuheb Ahmed Khan (who features on our EP) introduced me to some Indian rhythmic concepts which we’ve incorporated into our own music. The Scandinavian jazz tradition is characterized by a delicate, introverted and collaborative sound, and I think you could use any of those words to describe Yaatri. It’s not necessarily a soloist-oriented vein of jazz, it’s about how everyone’s parts work together to serve the music.
Your single ‘Waiting on the Sun’ was featured in Rolling Stone India. How did it feel to have such international recognition?
L: “Waiting on the Sun” is an important song for us; it was the very first idea we played
together and how we figured out our sound. To see it mentioned by anyone is an amazing feeling, but seeing it discussed so positively in something as big as Rolling Stone was a very proud moment.
Felix: It’s a real privilege to have people hear your music. Hearing their thoughts justifies all the hard work put in.
What can people expect from your debut EP?
L: The core of every track was recorded live. Its the sound of people trying to figure out who they are, and in the process created something new.
Beth: It’s something different, something very honest, warm and heart moving, whilst still making you want to headbang to the heavy riddems.