‘Chenda Yakshi Pattu', a Malayalam song in spook rock genre, is about a yakshi who loves the chenda

The Hindu

2 days ago

A bloodthirsty female ghost out to take revenge—that is the popular representation of yakshi in folklore, literature, films, etc. The single, 'Chenda Yakshi Pattu' is yet another take on this popular belief, visualised in a lyric video using AI and animated visuals.
The song falls into spook rock genre, that blends rock music with horror themes, says Sreenesh L Prabhu, composer of the track. The song is about a yakshi residing in a dilapidated temple. She loves the beats of the chenda, a percussion instrument, and the sound awakens her from her slumber. But she preys on the person who plays it. The track narrates one such story, through some impressive AI and animated visuals.
Sreenesh, who belongs to Alappuzha and currently working as assistant manager with Dhanalakshmy Bank in Thrissur, says that the work was inspired by a poem written by Suresh Narayanan, a writer, working with Kallambalam branch of the same bank. 'Since it was rhyming like a poem, he changed it into the lyrical format. The theme was the same,' says Sreenesh, who has so far released 25 songs. He adds, 'This project is different from my previous works in that all the others were based on socially-relevant themes.'
The track seamlessly blends chenda beats with a Western soundscape. 'I have composed the song with varying rhythms to express the yakshi's anger. Even though the Western score is used in the background, the melody is rooted in Carnatic ragas Thodi, Kanakaangi and bits of Punaagavaraali,' Sreenesh says, making a special mention of audio engineer Vineeth Esthappan who has done the mixing.
Vladimir Tommin, a digital creator, has tapped into the immense possibilities of AI to capture the bewitching beauty and power of the yakshi. He has also done the storyboard with Sreenesh. Sopanam singer Akhil Yashwanth has sung the track.
Sreenesh's first work to come out was on the floods of 2018. Other videos include 'Amma', a Tamil track devoted to mothers sung by Sudeep Kumar, 'Hatha Kunjaram', a Sanskrit song that addresses deforestation, and 'White Dove & Black Berries', an English song against racism. 'Hatha Kunjaram', which used animation, was picked by WWW India for a campaign.
'Aramathilile Koonanurumbu' was a fun track sung by Jassie Gift that was released during the pandemic. His songs have also touched upon issues such as drug abuse, organ mafia and gender equality. Last year he released 'Soundman Anthem', which celebrated the life and career of sound designer Resul Pookkutty.
A self-taught musician, Sreenesh says that composing for films has never been his objective. 'I have always preferred to use my music to address a social issue. I want to continue doing that. Once an idea strikes me, I work on the music, mostly during my travels. That is how I balance my passion and profession.'
'Chenda Yakshi Pattu' is streaming on the YouTube channel MC Audios Nadanpattukal.