Inside the Experiment: The Story Behind 'Experimenting with Hoomans'
- Mayank Mittal
- Jan 12, 2024
- 6 min read
KAPOW! and the Tale of Too Many Tabs Open in My Brain
Hey there, fellow earthlings! It's your intergalactic buddy Eternalramblings from KAPOW! here. If you're reading this, you've probably heard about our latest track, "Experimenting with Hoomans," (Click to listen) and if you haven't, well, you're in for a treat that's better than finding an extra fry at the bottom of your takeaway bag. What you're about to read isn't just a blog post. It's the diary of a space-time odyssey, a peek into the captain's log of India's first Comic Rock spaceship.
The Big Bang of "Experimenting with Hoomans"
Picture this: it's 2020, The Pandemic & I'm eyeballs deep in Asimov's "Foundation" and revisiting my college favourite "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," juggling the existential dread of social media addiction, and bam!
A lightbulb moment. Why not meld my sci-fi daydreams with the ear-worm qualities of KAPOW!’s music? Through all of those college years, I inhaled sci-fi like it was oxygen, from the dog-eared corners of paperbacks to the unheard of films and strange anime. The stories lived in my mind, ideas fermenting, marinating in notions of reality, control, and the sweet serenity of being offline. Yet, there I was drowning in the relentless pings of notifications. It was this blend, this curious cocktail that was the spark in the void.
The Mad Scientist's Laboratory (aka My Room)
A few orbits around the sun, and this track was still a stubborn puzzle, lurking in my notes, daring me to decipher it, rather challenging me to bring it to reality. Oh! Did I mention the sort of a capella version of the song? Well, that was a riot! I remember sharing an all-vocal draft with my bandmates in 2020. Imagine me, trying to mimic every instrument with my voice. The only thing i probably played was the piano. Everything else was me fiddling with logic settings. I'm pretty sure I invented new vocal exercises just trying to trying to convey the cosmic opera in my head. We had to find a way to make the song sound like it was transmitted from a distant galaxy, and let's be honest, nothing says 'alien' like strange vocal noises. Don’t believe me? Here’s a snippet.
That One Time We Made a Black Hole (Metaphorically)
Now, fast forward to the day we decided to capture this cosmic chaos in a bottle—or rather, in a track. Our studio, littered with cables, mics, and half-drunk cups of coffee and redbull, became the laboratory for our experiment. We were the mad scientists, and the song was our Frankenstein's monster. This one song even put Ferris Wheel’s system to a test, I can still hear Mukul Sir’s delirious laughter and disbelief at the beast we had created. And let me tell you, creating a SciFi rock track is no less complex than rocket science. There were moments when the sheer number of vocal layers had us questioning the nature of sound itself. And it had layers—like an onion, if an onion could scream about quantum mechanics.
Every vocal texture you hear? That's me, no tech wizardry (maybe a little), just raw vocal cords and a sprinkle of insanity.
The Bridge to Another Dimension
Ah, the bridge of the song. This bit is my personal Narnia. It's where the humans in our story get a taste of the bright, colorful illusion of happiness. It's the turning point of the song, where we shift from the overarching narrative to a personal experience within the simulation, we wanted listeners to feel the dissonance between the utopia presented to them and the dystopia they actually inhabit. Fun fact: the inspiration struck from a YouTube video, "Happiness" by Steve Cutts. That video was the breadcrumb trail to this whole extravaganza. Even the music video is inspired by this beautiful piece of satire on the web (The irony is not lost on me!) Yes!, the rat in our music video, metaphors my fellow cosmonaut, metaphors.
The Artwork: Our Control Panel
The artwork for "Experimenting with Hoomans" (which you've gotta check out!) is not just a pretty picture for instagram but it’s like peering through the looking glass into the pan dimensional lab the song talks about. It's all neon, nostalgia, and nods to the notion that maybe, just maybe, we're all part of some cosmic arcade game. The fun fact is Saira and I created it after countless iterations and arguments to make sure you are transported to the same alternate dimension as KAPOW! every-time you blast this song and send it hurtling through space time. We hope that an alien transmission eventually picks it up some centuries later and figures that we really were on to something.
Easter Eggs: A Universe Within a Universe
Now, let's talk Easter eggs. I had a hell of a time hiding references throughout the track. I wanted to plant seeds of curiosity, gems for the most dedicated of fans. The Easter eggs in this song are my love letters to the fellow nerds and geeks. There's a bit of everything for the keen listener— references to superstring theory, pop culture nods (is that Trump? Sachin? what?), ASCII codes, and even a cheeky nod to human overpopulation. It's like a treasure hunt where the map is the music and the treasure is a glimpse into my sometimes chaotic thought process. A buffet of brain ticklers as i like to call it. Now, the test of your understanding of KAPOW! and Eternalramblings is how many can you really find. There’s enough to send you looking for months or for some of you, even years!
The Visuals: A Comic Book Come to Life
So, if you are not aware we brought in another Earthling for this monumental mission, who goes by the name ‘Papashergil’. The target was crafting a music video that's more graphic novel than MTV clip. Each scene, each transition is meticulously storyboarded to take you on a journey that parallels the lyrical narrative. It's a tale of humanity lost and found, of control and chaos, all wrapped up in a package that's as visually arresting as it is thought-provoking and it's packed with more action than a superhero showdown.
But wait till you see the big reveal—it's like that plot twist that will make you drop your popcorn. Wait? isn’t that? That means the villains are- Then who is doing all- Wait, the that’s not the ending? We guessed your reactions, I know!
(Music Video Coming Soon)
The Rebellion Has a Soundtrack, and It's Called 'Experimenting with Hoomans'
This track is the battle cry for all who feel the tug of the digital leash. It's a call to arms, or rather, a call to ears and minds, to rise above the algorithmic ashes and claim our humanity. And trust me, this is just the overture. KAPOW! has an entire symphony of rebellion on the way. Just tune in.
The One-Way Mission
As for our plans, we have been making a lot of noise about it but if you have been living under a rock, here’s the quick version. We're gearing up to drop a whole constellation of songs in 2024. (One for each zodiac) "Experimenting with Hoomans" is just us clearing our space-throat. We've got stories, genres, and some inter-dimensional shenanigans lined up.
My Message to You, Dear Hooman
When you hit play on our song, listen to each word, each note. There's a universe in there. My favourite lines? Well, that's like picking a favourite star, but here goes:
"As you walk in, leave your brain at the door
We make you a promise that you'll never be bored"And then there's the grand finale in the lab:
"Systems unstable at neurological quantum level.
Human consciousness is trying to interpret the mainframe
Human has invaded the program.
I repeat, human has invaded the program and is changing the
parameters.
Abort the experiment, shut off the main supply,
human is onto us!
HAHAHA!"That's the sound of humanity fighting the system, my friends.
The End (Or Is It Just the Beginning?)
So there you have it—a more intimate look into the making of “Experimenting with Hoomans.” It’s a song, it’s a story, it’s a puzzle wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a catchy melody. From the first note to the last, it's been a labor of love, curiosity, and a touch of madness. I can't wait for you to hear it, dissect it, and maybe even dance to it.
It's your turn to join the experiment. Tune in, decode the messages, and maybe, just maybe, we'll figure out if there's a way out of this simulation together.
Until next time, keep your helmets on tight and your minds open wide! The next chapter of KAPOW! is just around the corner, and trust me, you won’t want to miss what we’ve got in store.
INSPIRATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
BOOKS
1984 by George Orwell
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeer
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
MOVIES / TV Series
The Matrix Trilogy (1999-2003)
The Truman Show (1998)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Ex Machina (2014)
Black Mirror: Season 1 Episode 2: 15 Million Merits (2011)
Upload (2020)
Minority Report (2002)
ANIME
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Psycho Pass
Serial Experiments Lain
Ghost in a Shell
Monster
Steins;Gate
MUSIC
Next song drops on 10th February and this one has was stolen by KAPOW! from cupid’s personal diary. It will be the key to your love life.
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