Raised in Bangalore, India, Ishani studied film, television and radio in Singapore, later moving to London to study audio engineering. With a multinational CV like that, one might expect a sound permeated by Eastern influences, but it’s the dark English grooves of Massive Attack and Portishead that come through in Stormy Emotions, the title track of her upcoming EP.
The seashore narrative exploring the clash of love, death, joy and despair, is uncomplicated, even simplistic, but Ishani’s languid and emotive delivery enriches the metaphor to a vivid image.
The tune is basic and sparse with abundant space, leaving her gently insistent voice celebrated in the centre. The rhythm is restrained with the minimum of fill and embellishment, that is, right up until the final eight bars when the drum track begins cutting loose, drawing the listener in but too late, generating an unfulfilled anticipation that is the only quirk in otherwise seamless production. Ishani has opted to distinguish her music through its points of difference with the mainstream, a laudable artistic principle which will serve her well in what should be a strong career.
David de la Hunty
