Listen: Hoirong Release New Album 'Dandaniya Apraadh'

It wasn’t a big surprise to anyone when the Internet erupted last Friday. I’m not just talking about the plethora of flag brandishing, anthem spouting patriots, all at their righteous peaks. This Independence Day, for those who just joined the party, cult desi band, Hoirong, released their hugely anticipated sophomore album, ‘Dandaniya Apraadh’, or ‘Punishable Offence’ for those not well versed in Hindi.

So while the rest of the country was debating the pros and cons of their new Prime Minister’s speech, the musically inclined listened to and debated over the cheeky, satirical punk album that lampooned everything we love and hate about our nation, and more specifically, its lovely capital aka the best worst city in the world. 'Dandaniya Apraadh' indulgently shakes its fists at New Delhi and all the ridiculous clichés it has to offer.

It’s dystopian disco-punk (as described by the band) at its best. 'Dandaniya Apraadh', much like its predecessor, features abrasive guitar riffs, smudged basslines, viscous walls of noise and this time, a healthy infusion of political satire in their lyrics. It’s a lengthy album with 15 tracks in total, each an essence of Delhi in some way or other (‘Gentleman’s Club of Noida’, ‘J-J-J-J-J-Jalebi’, ‘Awesome Bro’ and ‘By God Teri Kasam’). Kamal Singh makes digs at the new PM and parliament on tracks like ‘Kutta’ and satirizes the social interactions of Delhi’s upper crusts in ‘Leprosy Rhymes With Therapy’.

All this combined with the outfits typically lo-fi production brings to audiences an album so Hoirong, it makes up for the confusing aberration that was ‘Nursery Lies’.

And an aberration Hoirong is. A large part of their charm is that ‘we don’t give a tiny rat’s ass’ attitude and the band delivers that not only in unconventional, raw melodies but also visually, in their fascinating cover art which features an unknown beer bellied gentleman in a baby pink sweater, blazer and glistening gold ring. It’s hard not to like.

The albums sound is typically scratchy-punk, though this release sees greater dance, and even pop influences. It feels a little pointless to try and explain it if you haven’t heard the band before, in which case, prepare yourselves (here's a link to their debut release TROTPOWAHVHP).

You can follow the band on Facebook for more information and listen to Dandaniya Apraadh, in all its fist shaking, subversive glory below:

Words: Diya Gupta