Are you satisfied with the result of Tara?

INDRA: I consider this album as being one of the most accomplished I have produced so far. There is continuity, a unity of ideas and concepts throughout the album. Moreover, I feel like it’s very well integrated in the 12 CD set. Even so, Tara represents only one aspect I wanted to bring forward.

What comes in mind for writing such an epic track as ‘Anthology’?

INDRA: Things are simple here. The first 5 minutes were composed many months ago; then, at the end of December last, it took me only two days to complete it. And it’s not about improvising. In order to make it sound coherent, everything was thoroughly prearranged and put together with the utmost care. Then ‘Anthology’ sounded to me the right word to define the most significant moments in our lives from birth to death. If ‘Anthology’ is accounted as such, then its message becomes very clear.

Tara is disc 2 from your long expected 12CD box, The Special Edition: Tantric Celebration. There are still 10 CDs to come. How is the work progressing?

INDRA: For me it’s a real pleasure to compose such music. Some general melodic rhythms has been occasionally composed during the last two years; but everything else is completely new.

Expect me to reveal a new ‘style’ in the upcoming titles, just as I did with Tara. It’s a lot of work involved and I’m confident that by the end of 2007 five more titles will have been completed. Most probably fans will feel overloaded by this ample sufficiency but in doing so I find it easier for them to gradually accommodate with the whole lot instead of waiting the full CD set. I share the thought of many and agree that ‘more’ is ‘easier’ when regularly progressive. And it’s also about efficiency. All I’m doing is giving fans more listening time between releases; it’s easier to ‘digest’, to assimilate and compare.

Tara has a different sound approach. The difference is subtle, but we can feel it. Am I dreaming or INDRA is digging deep into Berlin School style?

INDRA: Your intuition serves you well. In my view and due to its particularities, Tara surprises from structure to tones. For instance, pads and string sequencers are dominant. But it’s the Berlin School style that allows such a wide variety of nuances and undisclosed potentials which in my case are reflected by the particularities of this CD set: a new approach for every new title.

Tara has a great Berlin School essence. I might say a new refreshing of the Berlin School style. Have you done that on purpose? I mean did you give the mandate to change the Berlin School horizon?

INDRA: Now that is something. Indeed my intentions are that through such albums like The Call of Shiva 1&2, Kali or Tara to present a new path in Berlin School style which anyway is a “deep” style with wide possibilities.

The BS style is very complex and its potential is really exquisite. In the beginning there was its “definition” but now it’s no use to stuck in the same way of presenting it. However, the change concerning this style does not imply the weird variations which are called “modern Berlin School” at the moment by some contemporary musicians. Often this kind of “presenting” Berlin School is quite boring and anyway it doesn’t tell me too much.

As I already said on other occasions, the Berlin School style can be “the richest section” of EM. As a matter of fact, I consider it the most elevated style due to its power of expression which is able to “shift” the human mental and psychic perception to their top. Therefore the Berlin School style has to be wisely explored and structured in such a way that the resulting compositions could easily be nominated as true musical gems, rich and deep in content for the quiet and instructed listener. One has got to entirely rethink the very essence of Berlin School style of music, its structure, and also “rebuilt” the accents having preferably a melodic way. I mean not the ‘cheap’ melodies but the ones that indeed are subtle and able to correctly and harmoniously show various forms through the whole length of the track.

Old Berlin School style “sins” because of some “sterility” at the emotional level. The trance mental state, reachable when listening to a few typical Berlin School style music tracks, is not necessarily obtainable through long, monotone, sometimes tiresome and often not very suggesting repeated sequences. Instead one can improve this genuine feature of the Berlin School style through an inspired “vision” of the pulsating sounds for well chosen time intervals. Finally the Berlin School style should wake up the interest of the listener in rather the same way one can get it from the listening to a skillful storyteller or reading inspired poetry.

So, the Berlin School compositions should not bother the listener but, on the contrary they’d make him feel curious and interested. Finally, this kind of music could generate a lovely feeling of happiness and enchantment. That is what I consider to be essential in developing a new, superior Berlin School style.

Any concerts ahead?

INDRA: Composing The Special Edition will eat up most of my time for the foreseeable future so not much left to arrange live concerts. Furthermore, it is not feasible due to long distances between Romania and the main Western Europe states which accommodate such events like Germany, UK, Netherlands, France or Italy. Only a tour would somehow solve the problem but there is time to think it over. However, I was already invited to take part at the annual Ricochet Gatherings EM festival, homage to TD, produced by Vic Rek in the summer of 2008 in Romania.

How do you feel while performing live? If you are alone, how is it on stage?

INDRA: I feel very well alone on stage. Usually I’m unaccompanied but from time to time I request the help of other musicians. There is this track from Colosseum recorded live, then live performance Flux and live performance Helios Arena with mezzo-soprano Maria Mladin and vocalist Michaela Dasicomis. The Millennium Live 2000 performed in Iasi was the most difficult: there were dancers, storytellers beside the cello player Mirel Grajdeanu and Naga DJ (computer programming).

At the moment I’m thinking of a playing with Catalin Truta who currently masters my recordings and is also a member of the DaKsha EM group. Future compositions will probably be signed INDRA & TC ( “TC” is the abbreviation for Truta Catalin) and developed in Berlin School style with prospects of future live performances.

Any chances INDRA will cross the ocean and performs in America?

INDRA: It’s difficult enough for me to get anywhere in Europe to play live, let alone in America! And nowadays EM lovers are not what they used to be 20 or 30 years ago (unfortunately). If you somehow get 100 people to attend at your concert premises, you’d have to consider yourself a very lucky and successful artist! And there are so many new EM artists, which makes competition harder. But who knows what next? If the proper sponsor comes along, I might do it.

Do you plan to make DVDs with your music or concerts?

INDRA: I’ve truly given some thought to that lately. It could be a DVD with one of my future live concerts, or at least one DVD audio for my next compositions. Anyway, it’s something I take into consideration to happening in the next few years for at the moment the DVD audio market is as inexistent in Romania.

Any other projects ahead beside the continuation of The Special Edition?

INDRA: There are at least two such projects after The Special Edition is completed. On one hand there is the INDRA & TC project which I’ve already mentioned and could involve an extensive series of albums, and on the other hand there is this project involving what I call The Berlin School Trilogy. It’s a homage to the pioneers of the EM style and at the same time a new direction in this field.

I’ve also got a relaxation and contemplative meditation album in the pipeline, as fans already noticed I’m inclined to do; project that will be named Soft Dreams. And, finally, I’ve got a few ideas for a new ‘groove’ and D’n’Balls album. Most probably its title will be Legend. The first track of this album is already composed and named ‘The Queen of Salem’.

Thanks a lot INDRA and on behalf of GOD readers the best of luck with your new CD Tara, which is quite good by the way!

INDRA: You’re welcome and many thanks for your review. Your questions are always very objective and catch subtle nuances. And thank you to all GOD readers and to all those interested in my music.

(Interview by Phaedream (Sylvain Lupari), Canada – March, 2007)