In their latest album Dofon, Whale in the Pond draw on an extensive range of folk, indie, and dream pop styles to reflect on their most intimate memories and fantasies.

The band has always excelled at mining traditional, familiar folk sounds to help establish a sentimental, nostalgic mood within their compositions. This time around, their record doubles down on the versatile instrumentation and childlike wonder that’s made them one of the most sought-after acts coming out of Southeast Asia. Their diverse tracklist also demonstrates their ability and willingness at incorporating an eclectic mix of genres, tones, and meanings. 

One of their tracks ‘Kite/Loon’ begins with gentle piano chords soothing us into the trappings of a wistful romantic ballad. Lead singer Sourjyo Sinha’s delicate, stirring vocals take us through a vivid journey through a scattered set of memories. It would have been a perfectly charming melody had it been just Sinha’s vocals and the backing piano riff.

But the minute-and-a-half instrumental solo that takes off following the first verse steals the entire song. The production comes alive with a variety of instruments dovetailed together, chief among which is the mandoline that really reinforces the dreamlike experience. The band also relies on a handful of other instruments to further bolster this hypnotic piece, including the flute, the celesta, and the theremin synth. The strikingly visual lyrics working together with the intricate production should easily send you into a bewitching reverie “between the spaces of the ink blue sky” and “the distant hills.” 

Similarly, ‘Nova’ leans onto the same psychedelic vibes but it runs on a far more upbeat rhythm, courtesy of the crisp guitar riffing along from the get-go. The instrumental solo here might even remind you of retro scores from Zelda and other Nintendo properties, coupled with a solid dash of eighties-infused disco magic. 

As was the case in their debut album, the band doesn’t shy away from embracing their Sylheti heritage. One of the tracks is fully sung in Sylheti and features elaborate percussive arrangements in the style of traditional Sylheti folk music. They nail the sound and what follows is an earnest, delightful number that will connect with you despite the language disparity. 

The Kolkata-based group has been grinding away at the local music scene for over four years now, having launched their debut album Marbles back in 2017. During their three-year hiatus, they added one more member to the fold, and it’s allowed them to become more collaborative and adventures in terms of their sound. 

Music Talkers spoke to lead singer Sourjyo Sinha, who told us about how he and the rest of the band came up with the album’s themes.

Thematically, the album has become more relevant since its inception. When I thought of the concept, I was angry about the weather in May, and so I imagined all the different ways we could end the world right now. Who would have thought all those different ways would slowly come true.” 

 Folk    Indie    Dream pop 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.