New Delhi quintet Peter Cat Recording Co. display an impeccable sonic palette on their breakthrough 2019 LP Bismillah — named for the Muslim prayer that in band leader Suryakant Sawhney’s own words translates to “for the love of God.” There is a certain divinity inherent in the symphonic indie rock which makes up the album, along with a healthy dose of soul. This fierce combination strikes a serious chord with the band’s devout fan base. You’ll find them currently in the middle of a two-night run of sold out shows at the Echo with three more (equally sold out) SoCal shows ahead in early June.
All five of the band’s members — Sawhney (vocals, guitar); Kartik Pillai (guitar, trumpet); Karan Singh (drums); Dhruv Bhola (bass, samples); Rohit Gupta (trumpet, keys) — are squeezing into the studio at KCRW HQ for a freewheeling guest DJ set.
Carry on for the goods — including how a stint living in San Francisco introduced Sawhney to mind-altering substances and Neutral Milk Hotel (not necessarily in that order), a song with a “Hindi death cult” association, and Jay-Z.
Kishore Kumar – “Chookar Mere Mann Ko Kiya Tune Kya Ishara”
Suryakant Sawhney: This is a weird song because it makes me remember my mom trying to drag me and my dad into this weird Hindu death cult. And we just left it. It was a funny thing, not a serious cult. They’re called the Brahma Kumaris — a bunch of really strange women who make a cult — and my mom's really into cults. So I just remember hearing this song on the way back [from that experience], it never left my memory.
Neutral Milk Hotel – “Two-Headed Boy”
Suryakant Sawhney: This song reminds me of my time spent living in San Francisco. My roommate introduced me to it, and I just thought it was amazing.
Shantanu Pandit – “Dinner”
Dhruv Bhola (drums, samples): You asked us to introduce you to an under the radar South Asian artist so this is Shantanu Pandit. He’s really good, and he’s a friend. He writes really well so when you listen to his music his lyrics are something to watch out for.
Jay-Z – “Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)”
This was a unanimous pick from the entire band, very few words are needed to explain why this one matters, just imagine a roomful of elated musicians shout-singing “NEW YORK…” at the top of their lungs. Highly encouraged behavior for those about to press play.