High flying guitarist Ravi Iyer

The man behind composing “Geeton Mein Woh Aawaaz Hain Hum” under the banner of ‘Synthesis – The Indian Muse’‘[see ‘Unique musical initiative supports Independence Day’ in our post of August 7, 2021], the amalgamation of sounds initiated by New Delhi-based ShowCase Events’ Nanni Singh that went live across multiple digital platforms on August 15, 2021, guitarist/composer Ravi Iyer is back at what he does best: sharing his incredible talent with listeners.
In redoing a song from the past, “Flying”, Iyer’s compositional skills are supported by mainly the spoken word, also by him, based on lyrics by Manisangsu Bhowmik that “reflect the everlasting conflict between conforming to status quo and spiritual liberty”. The idea started with a candid discussion between Ravi Iyer and veteran sound engineer Aslam Khan at Headroom Studio, and eventually “Flying” found its wings.
Iyer’s compositions have always been tuneful and, on “Flying”, his arrangements never accelerate beyond a pleasant, mid-tempo groove, keeping just enough exotic flavour to make the music on it alluring and seductive, a typical Ravi Iyer trademark.
Based in Mumbai, Ravi Iyer got his popularity because of his prowess on the guitar, amalgamating the sounds of a predominantly Western music instrument with multiple Indian instruments and, with it, Iyer is acknowledged for his unique sound and expertise in the genres of both fusion and rock.
Iyer began his musical journey by learning tabla during his childhood and later, in his teens, he took to playing the guitar. Apart from his solo projects, Iyer has also had the honour of performing with his biggest influences such as legendary artistes Dr. L Subramaniam and Padmabushan Shri Vikku Vinayakram. Besides being a well-known fusion guitar player, Iyer has also carved a niche as a composer and producer across songs, background scores, and advertising commercials.
Released on December 3rd, 2021, “Flying” is supported by Shovon Mukherjee on upright bass, and on drums by [producer] Mann Bipin, co-recorded, mixed, and mastered by Aslam Khan, and published by industry veteran Atul Churamani’s Turnkey Music & Publishing. For those interested in viewing the video behind the song, directed by Suyash Mohan, you can watch the video below.
Meanwhile, revel in a track on which Ravi Iyer has one foot firmly planted in the New Age genre and, the other, flying into easy-listening territory.