Hailing from New Delhi, Indian Ocean have been entertaining fans since 1990’s with their classic sounds and classier personalities.

Credited as being the pioneers ofΒ fusion rock music in India, in addition to their dynamic take on jazz fusion and folk music; Indian Ocean have made a name for themselves and continue to do so. The Sherp had the opportunity to interview these legends and here’s what they had to say…

Credits: facebook.com/indianoceanmusic

The Sherp: Hi guys! How does it feel to be performing at the SulaFest this year?

Indian Ocean:Β We are super excited about playing at the SulaFest 2017. It’s a brilliant festival with a unique vibe and the programming has always been interesting.

The Sherp: Do you think there should be moreΒ global music festivals like SulaFest held across India?

Indian Ocean:Β Most definitely. Festivals help expose concert-goers to artists that they might not have come across before. Also, if you listen to a certain genre of music, a festival can open your eyes, ears and mind to something completely different and brilliant. Which is always a good thing.

Credits: Karthik’s Pictures

The Sherp: You guys have been recognized as the pioneers of the fusion rock sceneΒ in India. How do you think the genre has picked up in the country?

Indian Ocean: It wasn’t a genre when we started out and we never intended to create a genre. The focus was to stay true to our roots and influences. We did manage to play traditional folk and classical tunes with our own unique take. Bands like Swarathma, Agam, Advaita, Raghu Dixit Project etc. have taken this inherently Indian sound and done some amazing stuff with it. We are happy that bands have, since,Β taken their identity and pride and infused it into their music. A far cry from the classic rock cover band era that we are all so familiar with.

The Sherp: It’s been more than two yearsΒ since your last album ‘Tandanu’ released. What have you planned for your fans. Anything they can look forward to this year?

Indian Ocean: Tandanu released in July 2014. We have been working on our new album ever since. You can definitely expect new music from Indian Ocean in 2017.

Credits: Ok Listen

The Sherp: Would you explore the option of composing more music for movies after the success of ‘Mann Kasturi’?

Indian Ocean: We were never opposed to composing music for films/Bollywood. However, the films we get approached for come to us because the film maker wants our sound. Neither do we have the chops nor the intention of making run-of-the-mill Hindi film music. There are a few interesting projects we have been approached for. Hopefully some of them will materialize soon.

The Sherp:Β Are there any new upcoming rock bands from India you guys have been listening to?

Indian Ocean: ‘Agam’ we all unanimously love. ‘Swarathma’ has some new music up for release that we like. We absolutely love the energy of ‘Skrat’. Neeraj Arya’sΒ ‘Kabir CafΓ©’ recently released an album that aligns with the kind of music we like. So a lot of interesting stuff happening and we are pleased.

The Sherp: Which artists would you like to include in a world music festival like SulaFest?

Indian Ocean: Tough one but somebody bring Snarky Puppy back ASAP.