It’s no secret that VCU attracts kids from all over the state and beyond. The constant influx of new students keeps the local artistic community thriving, with new scenes popping up in the vicinity of the university campus all the time. One recent musical movement, known to some as the "art punk" scene, features bands who've applied the DIY principles of punk rock to a style that is far from the traditional punk sound. Drawing influence from electronic music and indie rock, groups like Night Idea, Way Shape Or Form, and Houdan The Mystic play technically complex songs that feature unusual song structures and instrumentation. Basmati is one of the bands involved in this scene, and with a recent upswing in activity, including four EPs released since the beginning of the year, they're helping to ensure that they stand out from the art punk pack.
The beginnings of Basmati go back to their high school days, when drummer Louis Henninger, bassist Seaton Kerby, and guitarist/vocalist Brandon Graig used to play Nirvana and Pixies covers in the garage of Graig’s parents' house in the suburbs of Falls Church. The members of Basmati moved to Richmond after all enrolling to VCU in 2009. While they didn’t play any shows in their first year at VCU, their sophomore year opened the world of the Richmond music scene to them. Their unusual sound may partly explain why it took some time for them to break out on the local show circuit. "It’s definitely not what people think of when they think of Richmond,” said Graig. However, with the growth of the local art punk community, they've been playing out more frequently. "There’s always people you can always hit up to do a show,” Graig said.
The band's more frequent live performances of late may have something to do with a shift in emphasis in their sound. While, their early sets relied heavily on samples and programmed beats in addition to the standard guitar/bass/drum rock formula, they've recently adopted more of a plug-in and play attitude, using a sampler less frequently in order to play house shows that are less accommodating for bands with larger setups. They've compensated for this more natural approach with increased use of guitar effects, such as loop pedals, in order to effectively create their large, airy sound. Basmati don't see themselves fitting into any specific genres, but they draw clear inspiration from electronic, psychedelic, and pop music. All of the members are Animal Collective fans, and cite the indie quartet as an influence, along with other bands such as Blonde Redhead, Modest Mouse, and Krautrock pioneers Can.
Since 2013 has started, the band has released four EP’s through their bandcamp page. The material for these records has accumulated over the last two years of playing shows and writing music. Prior to the release of Skies Would Fight/Mountain Would Claw Us Over back in January, the only Basmati recordings were solo demos Graig had posted on on soundcloud.com. “I was at home working at Trader Joe’s for six months and I recorded a lot,” he explains. In addition to early versions of Basmati songs, Graig's soundcloud account features material by Elders, his solo electronic project, which was recently featured on a Richmond Electronic Collective compilation.
Since the release of Skies Would Fight/Mountain Would Claw Us Over, Basmati have put out three more records, each with its own sonic theme. Sick/Raw, released in March, has a lo-fi feel, and was recorded by Joe Paulk of Young Adult Fiction. Calico/Kachina, which followed in April, is an acoustic EP of new and old songs. Their most recent release is Nectar, which was recorded with Ethan Gensurowsky of Jabroni and Midair. All of the band’s EP’s are currently available for free download on bandcamp.
With summer essentially already here, many young bands in the city are setting out on tour. With plenty of material to support, and plans to start playing more out of town shows, Basmati is nonetheless not quite ready to launch a full-scale tour. “We might do one or two dates in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, and then a couple of weeks later do three or four dates,” said Graig of the group's plans to ease into playing outside Richmond. However, you can expect to see Basmati on art-punk bills around town throughout the summer. For starters, Basmati will be playing at The Camel on Friday, May 31, along with Night Idea, who will be releasing their new record, Paths. Also on the bill will be DC's Kid Architect and RVA locals Fight Cloud. Admission is $4 and starts at 7:00 pm. For more info, check out the facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/546977425352667/
