On paper, Shillong rock band Dossers Urge were certainly the most experienced and longest-running act at the recent edition of band competition Road to Converse Rubber Tracks finale in Mumbai, being around for nearly five years. But frontman David Kom underplays the edge they had considering their experience.

Competing amongst winners of regional rounds, Dossers Urge were pitted against electronica act Komorebi (Delhi), alt/ambient rock band Space is all We Have (Bengaluru), prog rockers Skylight Vision (Pune) and alt rock band Unohu (Mumbai) on April 1 at Blue Frog, Mumbai. Kom says there was a bit of anxiety in the run up to taking the stage and delivering what became their prize-winning set. They now have an all-expenses paid recording deal at the Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn, New York. Kom told us about the competition, “We were nervous and ready for whatever comes our way, as the competing bands were equally super in their unique way. Just before getting on stage, we reminded ourselves that to just have fun and do what we do best. Nervousness was there, but once we started playing it was gone and we got lost in the grooves.”

Dossers Urge follows previous Rubber Tracks winners such as Chennai electro-rock band The F16s, who recorded a two-track EP Nobody’s Gonna Wait in 2014 and Delhi singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, who travelled to Brazil to record at Toca Do Bandido studio in Rio (as part of Converse Rubber Tracks Global Studios). Kom says they haven’t sat down to figure out how they’re utilising their studio time just yet, but says the trip is currently being planned. He adds, “As soon as the visas are ready, we are good to go.”

Download the free Mixtape featuring Dossers Urge’s song ‘Mother’ here.