Cotton Press Studio, a recording studio at Elphinstone Road inside an abandoned cotton press factory.

Singing a different tune

A STEADY BEAT The economy may be in the doldrums but these young entrepreneurs are using this time to turn their passion — music — into a living, finds Suprateek Chatterjee

WHAT: Cotton Press Studio, a recording studio at Elphinstone Road inside an abandoned cotton press factory.
(From left) Stuart DaCosta, Luis Chico, Ryan Sadri, Tanmay Bhattacherjee and Alok Padhye of the band Something Relevant WHO: Started by musician Stuart DaCosta, 26, and his bandmates Jehangir Jehangir, Alok Padhye, Tanmay Bhattacherjee, Ryan Sadri and Luis Chico, who are part of the popular bluesjazz-rock ensemble Something Relevant.

WHEN: It has been two months since the air-conditioning was switched on, says DaCosta.

HOW: The members of Something Relevant had been trying to find a studio space for more than two years but with little success. “Most places were far too cramped while others were around noisy environments, which would’ve let to a lot of investment in terms of soundproofing,” says DaCosta, the band’s lead vocalist and bassist. “We needed a quiet space where the entire band could play and record together.” Six months ago, Bhattacharjee’s driver, who lives in Parel, suggested they look at the Parel Cotton Press, an abandoned factory with large warehouses that have been out of use since the early ‘90s.

In January, the band had done a series of shows in Bangladesh, which earned them a lot of money. They decided to put most of that money and invest it into this place, which they felt was perfect since it was big enough as well as in a relatively quiet area.
“We could have blown up all that money on partying if we wanted to,” says DaCosta. “But since Something Relevant started, the philosophy has always been to invest a part of the money we earn back into the band.”
They spoke to Mazhar Jaffer, the owner of the press, and took one of the warehouses on rent. They then spent some of their savings on installing an air-conditioning system and outfitting the studio with highquality recording equipment. “We call it a ‘boutique recording studio’,” says DaCosta, jokingly.
This is reflected in their rates: An hour at this studio costs R 2,500, which is nearly the same — and in some cases, even more than — certain well established recording studios, such as Yashraj Studios and Purple Haze.

WHY: Something Relevant, who have been together since 2003, are one of the most popular indie bands around. However, last year, they took a break as three of them, including DaCosta, shifted to Chennai to study music at the Swarnabhoomi Music Academy. Their experience as a band as well as their postgraduate degree in Chennai had honed their audio production and recording skills, which they wanted to put to use. They also wanted a space where the band could record their second as well as subsequent albums. “The studio has been set up in such a manner that all we have to do is plug in our instruments, press the record button and play,” says DaCosta.