LIFAFA, "SUPERPOWER 2020"

Protest music packaged in gentle electronics and subtle South Asian aesthetics

For no reason in particular, I’ve been thinking recently about political projects and the failure of nations to live up to the ideals that those projects are built on. Apparently, this puts me in good company. Indian musician Suryakant Sawhney has been thinking about this since at least 2021, when he released SUPERPOWER 2020 under his LIFAFA alias. Based in New Delhi, Sawhney first rose to prominence as the smooth-voiced crooner behind the indie jazz outfit Peter Cat Recording Co., which holds the illustrious distinction of being the best band you’ve probably never of. As LIFAFA, Sawhney explores a greater range of traditional Indian musical influences, bringing them into the 21st century with a tastefully rich production style that propelled his 2019 LP Jaago to critical acclaim. SUPERPOWER 2020 is a more overtly polemical expansion of Sawhney’s soulful Hindi folktronica, satirizing the gap between India’s great-power ambitions and current democratic devolution in both its album name and in a series of song titles cribbed directly from nationalistic BJP slogans. Its lyrics are similarly pointed, making it (for Hindi speakers) a particularly sharp expression of civic rage and disappointment.

This does not, however, make the album any less beautiful. Harsh themes are introduced with soft beats and delicately catchy melodies that settle in the jagged cracks of a fractured body politic. A distilled sense of nostalgia permeates everything, from the wistful synth line carrying “Laash” to the static-bathed disco on “Irradon.” The only moment on the album that comes close to feeling forceful is the piercing hook on “Wahin Ka Wahin,” constructed from dramatically high-pitched vocals and a this-shouldn’t-work-but-somehow-it-does energy reminiscent of Sleepyhead-era Passion Pit (arguably the only version of Passion Pit worth reminiscing about). But Sawhney is a better singer than Michael Angelakos, armed with a timeless baritone that inspires comparisons to nourishing rains and the flora fed by their fall. He leans into this strength on SUPERPOWER 2020, delivering a record that soothes even as it censures. Who says music can’t be angry and healing at the same time?

Wait, don’t go yet!

As the subscriber count for this newsletter reaches certain milestones, I want to check in with readers to make sure it’s still providing content that resonates with them – and if there’s an opportunity for it to provide more relevant content going forward.

To that end, I’ve put together a short survey to get a better sense of what my readers are actually interested in reading. Although the main content of this newsletter will always be free, some of the below add-ons might need to be implemented under a paywall (probably $2-4, depending on the content)

If you have a few moments, please fill out the survey below. It should only take two minutes, tops.

Bonus Pick: For more fresh takes on past sounds, check out this classic album by Argentina’s lagartijeandro.