The Kolkata/Delhi based Bodhisattwa Trio has been putting out impressive music for quite some time now, and their last studio effort ‘The Grey Album’ showcased their flair for experimentation and freedom. Their new single ‘The Void’ has all this in spades, but there’s something a bit dark and brooding about it which heightens the overall track and makes it all the more fresh.

Obviously, the three members of the band are front and center; the whole idea of a trio is to have the identities of the people playing their instruments be clear and recognizable. Here, all three of them have a big impact. Bodhisattwa Ghosh is wildly expressive on guitars, Premjit Dutta is hyper nuanced and delicate on drums and Shonai provides all the fun grit and grime on keys and synth bass. The chemistry between the members is tangible enough that they are more than happy to take one or two ideas and just take it wherever their instinct tells them to, which is pretty much what ‘The Void’ is in spirit. The track takes the furious grooves, repeating riffs and breakneck pace of the more ‘jazzy’ sections and contrasts it with some pretty proggy sounding guitar leads towards its latter half, but the endless tempo of the rhythm section never really lets up. There are also a lot of spacey and spooky synths that give the track added atmosphere. But it is really is the bass that is the unsung hero of the song. It’s dark, almost robotic and always loads of fun of pick out of the mix. There’s something of Jojo Mayer’s Nerve in the grooves and bass of this track, but it goes away from the almost machine-like precision of that band in favour of a bit more fun and freewheeling. All in all, it’s very obvious to the listener that the band is having fun.

Yes, of course there is some complicated stuff happening melodically that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But there is something about ‘The Void’ that keeps it away from the trap of gatekeeping. The overall vibe of the track isn’t that anyone who can’t count the time or understand every nuance isn’t allowed to enjoy it. In fact, The Bodhisattwa Trio sound like they are inviting you to not bother with most of that stuff at all and engage with it on a purely fun and instinctive level. That attitude is commendable and is something the genre needs.