After a five-year hiatus, pioneering Indian electronic duo Midival Punditz return with their expansive new album 'Love & Machines', a bold and immersive project that reaffirms their status as innovators at the intersection of tradition and modernity. Comprised of Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj, the duo once again blend cutting-edge electronic production with the rich textures of Indian folk, classical, and Sufi music, crafting a sound that feels both rooted and forward-thinking.
Opening with the intense and chaotic energy of ‘Dafatan’, the album immediately sets its tone, weaving together imposing synths and rhythmic precision. Across its thirteen tracks, 'Love & Machines' moves fluidly between experimental electronica and more traditional, instrument-led compositions, with songs like ‘Rangeeli’ and ‘Na Jaaney Kyun’ showcasing the duo’s ability to honour cultural heritage while reshaping it for contemporary audiences.
So with the new LP out now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Gaurav: That would be the synthesiser and just the amazing sounds that came out of it.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Gaurav: When I was in school, it was mostly Top of the Pops, which included Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, George Michael, INXS and such. In college, I moved on to mostly Rock music, namely Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Radiohead. After college, it was a lot of Electronic music like The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Underworld.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Gaurav: I remember buying an Original Cassette of ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson when I was in school. My parents had vinyls of Boney M, Silsila, Mehdi Hassan and more, which were also part of my early musical influences.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Gaurav: ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ by Radiohead. Or, ‘Firestarter’ by The Prodigy.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Gaurav: I feel the art of centring yourself and calming the mind is really important to practice in any form of creative endeavour. I try to do that.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Tapan: There are a lot of new artists from India who are in our current playlists like Curtain Blue, Komorebi, Sudan, Hemng Duggal, Dohn Raj.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Tapan: The Prodigy (again, would love to open for them, last time we opened for them was in 2011), Chemical Brothers, Underworld.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Tapan: It’s a real blessing to be a musician. We get to experience the entire journey of composing something out of thin air, releasing it and then getting love from audiences who have heard our music at their homes or at our shows. Just experiencing and enjoying this journey is the most rewarding part. The fact that we get to do it again and again makes us feel doubly blessed.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Tapan: There are very few frustrating parts – mostly they revolve around the time when we are unable to come up with something new or fresh. These moments are called writer's block, but since we have been doing this for so long, we have learnt to not to harp on these moments and to just come back to the studios another day. We cannot force the creative process.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Tapan: To always have fun while composing or producing or performing music. If you are not having fun, then you are doing something wrong.
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Midival Punditz's new album 'Love & Machines' is out now. Check it out in the player below.