Phosphenes enriching Nepal’s indie-scape with snazzy new tunes

By Mannu Shahi, In this digital age, with a plethora of easily accessible musical options, Phosphenes is one such group emerging in a quaint light yet curating a devoted following for its distinct charisma. 

Active since 2016 in the vibrant underground indie scene flourishing at the opulent gatherings of the Kathmandu-high, the band continues to make music with three stagnant founding members and a few changes in their additional line-up. With a high regard for simplicity in music, the trio firmly believes in the bonding they have formed with its audiences over the years.

Starting out as a collective of aspiring singer/songwriters, their tremendous career arc has proliferated into this enticing phase as their songs appear more profound, their narratives more intricate and their chemistry more in sync than ever.  

The group’s discography comprises the debut four-track EP ‘Know This Time’ (2018), the full-length sophomore LP ‘Sullen Days’ (2021) and their recent critically acclaimed third EP ‘Simit Yaad’ (2023). 

The band has collaborated on audio duties with sonic wizards like the US-based Nepali musician Diwas Gurung and Kathmandu-based multimedia artiste Rohit Shakya. 

Abhishekh Pokhrel on vocals and guitars, Prajwal Aryal on vocals and guitars, Aman Karna on guitar and synths, and the latest addition of Nirita Yakthumba on vocals and bass collectively form Phosphenes. Originally also seen as a quartet, the founding fourth pillar of the group was a Western classical piano disciple Supriya Moktan on vocals and keys, who parted ways in 2019 due to personal reasons. And in between, the group was associated with a handful of musicians while they still continued to feature additional members during live concerts.

And last Wednesday, August 2, the band released the official music video for their fourth track “Drishya” from their latest EP. 

Written by Abhisek and Prajwal, the song is composed by Phosphenes, while the entire ‘Simit Yaad’ EP is co-produced and engineered by Diwas Gurung. Similarly, the music video for this single is directed, edited and written by Shirish Gurung of Passe Pics; with Mishek Limbu on DOP; Prasanna Bijukchhe on production management; Radha Krishna Jewellers as co-video producer; Sangram as the wardrobe partner; and Moksh and Barc as location partners.

Phosphenes describe the single as, “an exploration of the feeling of being stuck in one mental state and the struggle of breaking free from it. The song’s hypnotic beat and introspective lyrics perfectly capture the feeling of anxiety and the need to accept reality.” 

The tune kicks off with an attenuated guitar loop and sampled drums, taking full shape with the entry of Prajwal’s euphonious flowy vocals. The groovy staccato bass line elevates the verse section and flawlessly amalgamates the spacey guitar plucking with the busy drums pattern. 

Mid-verse Abhisek takes over the lead vocals for a brief moment, creating a variation in the flow of the stanza, while Prajwal sticks to the lead throughout the remaining portion of the song. The interlude subsequent to the first verse is very effective, while the dynamic break post-chorus executes this well-balanced ambient aesthetic. 

Melancholic flavours are dominant all-over this brilliantly manifested dream-pop/ indie rock anthem, a must-listen for Nepali music enthusiasts in the quest for crispy and snazzy creations.