Shubh Saran - Becoming EP

[GA Russell]

 

Shubh Saran Becoming EP Out Now! In his third release, Saran takes a modern jazz approach to punk rock. Impact Date: March 10, 2020          NEW YORK, NY — New York-based guitarist and composer Shubh Saran independently released his newest EP titled Becoming on February 10, 2020.  This is the third release for Saran, who made his full length debut in 2017 with the release of Hmayra, and followed up in 2018 with the release of H.A.D.D.  On Becoming, Saran explores past musical influences from a late 1990s and early 2000s punk rock era, while applying modern jazz techniques to the compositions.  The five-song collection of original music was written and produced by Saran, and recorded over the course of a year between Studio G in Brooklyn and his home studio, also in Brooklyn.  For Saran, Becoming is very much a revisiting of the music that formulated his early years growing up, and a reflection on how that music might sound today when infused with his current styles of producing.  “The general concept was to explore what it would be like if I made the kind of music that I used to listen to, except in the ways I make music now,” says Saran. “It’s kind of a modern jazz musician’s approach to playing punk rock.”   Taking a moment in time to explore the music of his past has had a resonating effect on Saran.  Studying music in academic settings and applying the principles of modern jazz composition have been important for Saran in growing as an artist, but working to simplify song structure and focusing on the right amount of information to transmit to the listener has been an important challenge in this chapter of his career.  When considering audiences during writing sessions, Saran has worked to keep in mind how much he wants to disclose musically, and how much he wants to be left imagined by the listener. “Becoming points in the direction that I want to go in, or at least where I want to explore right now, jumping between genres while still retaining the elements that have always made up my music,” says Saran. When rediscovering the music of his younger self, Saran found that there were many tastes that evolved over the years, but still some that remained true.  “What was interesting about relistening to that music was noticing how much my musical tastes have changed over the years, while observing how similar some things still are,” says Saran.  “Capturing the energy and the intensity of punk rock music, that seems on the surface loud and angry, I found, had this beautiful quality to it.” The title track, and lead single, “Becoming,” will be released on all digital platforms on November 12, 2019.  From the opening measures, the epic sounding instrumental hits the listener with a strong guitar driving melody and lush string orchestration.  This was the first time that Saran, an alumnus of Berklee College of Music, wrote for strings on any of his original music, allowing him to blend new textures and enrich the palette of instrumentation on this new music.  “‘Becoming’ definitely wasn’t written as the single off the album, nor was the EP supposed to be named after the song, or vice versa,” says Saran. “As I started writing it, though, I began to realize that this is the anthemic song that really sums up the whole message of the EP.”  Shubh Saran is a multi-dimensional artist whose vision of an ideal career is one that has an evolutionary musical arc to it.  Continually innovating, finding new ways of uncovering melody and harmony, and channeling his true self, are all key components that make up Saran’s identity as a musician and producer.  “I’ve always liked artists who have long music careers, where their first album is really different from their last album, and you can see the evolution and influences over time,” says Saran.  “I think this EP is very much about embracing what I was influenced by and how that has shaped my songwriting, so I’m just celebrating that by being who I am as a musician.”           Shubh Saran Becoming Release Date: February 10, 2020 Label: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming Track Listing: 1. Becoming 2. Storm 3. Safe 4. Comfort (feat. Hannah Sumner and JAE SOTO) 5. Dust ***All songs available for radio.

[GA Russell]

Shubh Saran

 

Becoming EP Out Now!
In his third release, Saran takes a modern jazz approach to punk rock.

Featured on WRAS (Atlanta), WKCR (New York City), CKUA (Alberta)

Impact Date: March 10, 2020

Headlining West Virginia Virtual Wine & Jazz Music Festival on June 27th @ 6pm EST