Boxsons

Alternative music labels in India are making their presence felt by finding newer ways to promote songs.

When well-known vocalist Shubha Mudgal and her husband, tabla player Aneesh Pradhan, launched Underscore Records in 2003, the idea was to lift marginalised Indian music out of obscurity and give it a presence.

“We knew we would not be able to retail music,” Mudgal says, “so we gave it an online distribution platform.” Working with a small team of 10 people in an online office, Underscore Records, she says, is able to sustain itself. “We want to promote [everything from] brass bands to Dhrupad. For example, an audio CD we are bringing out, titled Kissa Punjab, features folk music from Punjab which is the kind that will soon no longer be heard.”

Mudgal’s record company is one of many new Indian labels that are making their presence felt. “For musicians of an experimental [bent] it makes sense to go independent and seek alternative record companies,” she explains. with alternative labels, these musicians can spend less time convincing conventional music companies and more time producing their albums. “If diversity has to be supported, you can’t have the same model for all kinds of music.”

The key lies in looking for low-cost means of distribution. For Delhi-based musician Nikhil Mahajan and model Joey Mathews, who started their electronic music label Audio Ashram about two years ago, this happens through Radio 79, an online radio station. Launched a few months ago, Radio 79 has won itself 4.4 million visitors and a thriving fan club on Facebook. the station showcases a motley crew of 1,700 music artistes, producers and DJs from across the world. “Through the support of sponsors such as Kingfisher for our events, we run the radio station, and we plan to launch our music magazine called Ggrunt. we have five music albums releasing in the next few months,” says Mahajan.

Other independent music companies such as Mummy Daddy Records and Counter Culture employ similar means of reaching out to an audience — that is, live performances, a strong online presence and a reliance on word-of-mouth publicity. Says Mumbai-based Vijay Nair of Counter Culture Records, “We rely on technology to spread the word, with almost no advertising. plus, most bands we support have been touring for a while, so they already have a fan base. while we use our online presence to create awareness, sales happen mainly at the concerts we organise.”

Mudgal adds: “The Web is such a wonderfully evolving space and social media are very useful to distribute music. we organise a music expo every year in Pune called Baajaa Gaajaa where we bring record companies together. my wish-list would include an alliance between alternative music labels in India.”

There are some, meanwhile, who have developed strong revenue drivers to support their record labels. the swanky club Blue Frog in Mumbai, for instance, is a recognised brand now. the brainchild of composer-musicians Ashutosh Phatak and Dhruv Ghanekar, film director Mahesh Mathai, producer Srila Chatterjee, and fund manager Simran Mulchandani, this initiative has helped build a nexus between buyers and sellers of music.

Blue Frog attracts a clientele with live music every day of the week. the F&B revenue driver supports Blue Frog Records, which promotes jazz, blues, funk, world fusion, experimental pop and edgy rock. the founders also have a customised radio service and a touring circuit which takes Blue Frog beyond Mumbai. Mulchandani explains, “We hope that the success of our label will lead to more platforms opening up for musicians across the country.”

In an otherwise deeply commercialised music industry, what works for these alternative music labels is that each has a unique focus. Counter Culture, for example, focuses on Indian rock, while Chennai-based world music label EarthSync stages folk music at its annual festival, and regularly produces albums with folk musicians. CEO Sonya Mazumdar says that “Nobody knew, before we cut an album, that Sufi singers existed in south India.” that album, Nagore Sessions, features three dargah singers from the district of Nagapattinam in southern Tamil Nadu. “EarthSync distributes music physically in 13 countries, and worldwide through a score of digital retailers,” she says, adding that “EarthSync also produces music documentaries and live shows, which allows us to be financially viable.”

While digital stores and the Internet work well with alternative music distribution, there is a down side. “This format does not allow you to sell your music at a price that suits you,” Mudgal says. “For example, if you want to sell a Hindustani music piece which could be well be 45 minutes long, there is no platform to download it in chapters and price it [accordingly], the way a platform has been created for audiobooks. I’m hoping we will have a developer addressing these needs.”