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    Morning Becomes Eclectic

    Peter Cat Recording Co.: KCRW Guest DJ set

    Novena Carmel
    Novena Carmel
    PlaylistsHand-Picked MusicIndie / Alt
    New Delhi quintet Peter Cat Recording Co. squeeze into KCRW HQ between sold out LA shows to talk Jay-Z, Jeff Mangum, and Hindu death cults.
    New Delhi quintet Peter Cat Recording Co. squeeze into KCRW HQ between sold out LA shows to talk Jay-Z, Jeff Mangum, and Hindu death cults.
    May 23, 2023

    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.

    Tracklist

      Show Credits

      • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

        Novena Carmel

        Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, co-host of Lost Notes

      • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

        Anthony Valadez

        co-host of KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic

      • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

        Anna Chang

        Producer, KCRW Music Department

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