MUMBAI: Hip-hop and live electronica act ViceVersa - known for their rambunctious performances and bass heavy tracks with energetic videos to match – will release the video of its latest composition 'Chal Hatt' in an effort to cement its reputation as one of India’s most fun acts.

A collaboration with pop singer Apeksha Dandekar - who is a part of the Karsh Kale collective apart from being a playback singer – ‘Chal Hatt’ is ViceVersa’s first release of 2016, slated to release on July 6.

ViceVersa is a trio formed by Bangalore-based producer Manas Ullas and Mumbai-based musicians Rohit Pereira aka P-Man and Sidd Coutto that made its debut in 2012 and has since released an album and two EPs.

Vice Versa shared the promo-teaser for the video on social media

Chal Hatt, the track and video

Sung in a combination of English and Marathi, ‘Chal Hatt’ is a collaboration with popular singer Apeksha Dandekar, and ticks all the boxes for a catchy summer hit – a catchy hook, a swinging bassline and a video that features a dance battle.

“I had a melody and fleshed out the tune with our producer Abhishek Ghatak. He knew Apeksha and suggested we get her on the track. I just asked her to incorporate the words ‘Chal Hatt’ in the song. She did the rest. And it fit perfectly in everything I hoped the track would sound like,” says Rohit. “This video is our way of saying ‘Chal Hatt’ to the conventional. I wanted this song to be my response to haters and false well-wishers, to people trying to butter me up and show false favors – I see through y'all,” he adds.

Apeksha, who has sung for Bollywood and Marathi films, wrote the song keeping the title in mind. “Chal Hatt is for the classes within the masses I guess! It has an almost rebellious and need-to-revolt kind of attitude,” she says.

The song, though predominantly in English, also uses Marathi to get the message across. “The Marathi phrases in the song also capture the essence of what we are trying to say – “noko yeus majha vaateta” (don’t come in my way, “tu raha zara laamb na” (stay away from me) and “zara thaamb na” (please stop),” Apeksha adds.

The video, directed by Beloit graduate Jishnu Guha, features members of the Mumbai-based dance troupe Freak n Stylz and the motley crew of Rohit, Manas and Apeksha in a dance battle wherein the dance troupe’s synchronised moves are no match for the musicians’ Bollywood style thumkas.

The release of the music video ‘Chat Hatt’ wouldn’t be the only Vice Versa activity for the month, as the band will perform on 22 July in Bengaluru followed by a performance at The High Spirits Café, Pune on 27 July.