Five songs (around 24 minutes)into the album ‘Connected’ and the listener revisits the 'One Way Closer' memories - released roughly a decade ago. That's the sign of a maturity for an act that seemed to have learn, unlearn and learn again through the last ten years and release of three albums/EPs - drawing influences from earlier works. Donn Bhat is the artist here, and the song – sixth off the album – 'The Beer Was Over' just provides a gentle reminder to the early beginnings of the producer.

Connected possesses various similar beautiful contrasts. For example, 'The Beer Was Over' begins with the most Donn Bhat-esque intro, and roughly two-and-a-half-minute later, develops into a progressive sonic carnival with the support of backing vocals, pounding drums and necessary guitar shredding that accompanies till the end. Not a typical Donn Bhat outro.

Song positioning, the sequence, (if it’s a concept album, the story-telling) and even the length of the album attribute to the success and the outreach of the effort, and with an opening track like ‘XXL’, you can actually interpret it as Bhat advising you to ‘sit down, relax a bit, this is going to be a fun ride.’ ‘Connected’, the following track and the entire album, in a way reflects the artist’s observation on the human minds’ endearing and ever-evolving relationship with technology. Bhat informed that ‘Connected’ (the album) begins where ‘Passenger Revelator’ (2014 release album) left, and while that’s true if the purpose of the musician on a broader picture is considered and the lyrical front, sonically the beauty of ‘Connected’ depends on how well the listener identifies to the sound as Bhat’s, despite it being comparatively fresher and more experimental. In short, an extension to Passenger Revelator-esque, but in an unpredicted direction.

“This album is a diary of a certain time in my life. It is a further exploration between electronica and acoustic instruments combined with lyrical song-writing,” elaborated Bhat. The party begins when Bhat’s two of the favourite musicians Toymob and Suhail Yusuf Khan join the songwriter for a track, simply titled ‘The Storm’, that features the sarangi, folk-inspired rhythms backed by a pretty sophisticated electronica beats throughout. Fourth track off the album ‘2000 years’ carries potential to be the theme for the opening credits for a HBO series. “On a beach when the world goes down in flames/ Did they ask what you wore and what time you came/…./Now the wait for the final fire begins/2000: years and we'll kill everything/Did we choose? A point of view/Were we heard did we get our dues" – the borderline dark lyrics to ‘2000 years’ offers another example to how – on the lyrical front – ‘Connected’ is Passenger Revelator 2.0. The entire album is filled with similar examples concerning lyrics.

‘Spinning World’ featuring Toymob sounds like the duo further collaborating with now defunct Mumbai based rock act Sky Rabbit. Spinning World, to be more precise, provides the Sky Rabbit’s ‘Hilltop’ vibe throughout its length, and although Bhat may not have had such intentions, but we are hardly complaining.

The fact that every ‘Connected’ composition holds the ability to be used and exploited for commercial jingles, trailers, opening and closing credits could help Bhat reach out to wider audiences. As the album progresses, Bhat utilises lyrics as a more dominant instrument in the ultimate outcome of the compositions, that begins with ‘2000 years’, continues through ‘The Beer Was Over’ and the conclusion of the album. ‘Desh Bhakti’ – once again featuring Suhail Khan and Toymob - aptly exemplifies what essence of ‘Connected’, a non-pretentious delivery of world music amplified through the use of instruments like sarangi, Tibetan bowl and Hindi vocals. Another example of how ‘Connected’ brings out a new Bhat experience without losing the older charm. A beautiful paradox, to put Connected’s sonic idea in a nutshell.

The producer kick-started his album tour with Ziro Festival, and will be performing in Mumbai on 7 October, followed by performances in Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru on the following Fridays with the last performance in Chennai on Oct 29.

You can listen to the album here, but as always, we would encourage the listeners to buy the album on Ok Listen -