Your journey into music and vernacular philosophy is deeply rooted in your upbringing. Tell us about the influences that shaped you.
My journey was rooted in my upbringing in Diphu, Karbi Anglong in the 90s, surrounded by an incredibly artistic family. I grew up in a household where my father played flamenco pieces and shared his love for legends like Deep Purple and The Beatles, while my maternal uncle curated vast catalogs of vinyl and film. This foundation was layered with the influence of the mid-90s metal scene—Pantera, Metallica, and Nirvana—introduced to me by my cousins. The philosophical side emerged naturally from my Karbi identity. I began to see music not just as entertainment, but as a frequency that gives meaning to being. My work is inextricably linked to Karbi creation myths, folksongs, migration history, and our struggle for sovereignty. For me, music and vernacular philosophy are inseparable; they stem from the same urge to turn 'Muse into Art,' a concept I call being 'Muse-ic.'
What was the first moment you felt truly connected to your art?
A definitive moment occurred when I was just ten years old in the early 2000s. My uncle Harmon invited me to join his metal band, Excruciator, to perform Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the Water.' Being on that stage at such a formative age glued me to the world of composition and live performance. Since then, music has been my cornerstone—a verb for how I relate to the world and a safe haven during the complexities of adolescence. That night, I realized that the stage wasn't just a platform; it was a sacred space where I could channel raw emotion into something larger than myself.
How has your experience grown over the years, blending music, art, and philosophy?
Over the years, my work has evolved into a multi-faceted exploration of sound and thought, transitioning from traditional metal roots into diverse experimental territories. This artistic growth is vividly reflected across my current projects: from the profound cultural themes explored in the experimental endeavor The Karbi Death Ritual to the traditional roots unearthed in my experimental folk project, Kum Chirui. My sonic identity further expands through Hotaru, while my metal outfit, Trancemigrate, remains a cornerstone of my career, marked by significant milestones such as opening for American metalcore giants As I Lay Dying in New Delhi in 2020. This journey has taught me that we are all made of sounds, and when we don't resonate with our surroundings, we simply have to tune into a different frequency. Each project is a distinct universe, yet they all orbit the same axis of Karbi consciousness and musical innovation.
What drives you to create and share your work with the world?
I am driven by a desire to challenge the 'algorhythmized' and desensitized nature of mainstream media. I believe that much of modern music is dumbing down our cognitive abilities. I create for a niche audience—and for myself—to provide an intellectually stimulating and intimate sonic sphere. My drive is summed up in my belief: 'Make Music, not War. Make Music, change the world, Make music, evolve the social constructs.' It's a call to arms for those who feel alienated by the sterile, predictable sounds of the charts, and an invitation to rediscover the transformative power of intentional art.
Walk us through your creative setup—what tools do you rely on when making music?
My setup comprises a laptop, a USB microphone, a sound card, monitors, guitars, and bass—basic and portable as it gets. Anyone can be making music on the move with as little budget as possible. I've learned that limitations breed creativity, and this minimalist rig allows me to capture ideas wherever they strike, whether that's in a rented room in Oslo or back home in Diphu. The key is not the gear but the vision and the discipline to execute it.
Tell us the story behind the video of you performing or composing a piece.
During my time in Oslo in 2023, the creation of Thireng Vangreng became a profound exercise in navigating the tension between my ancestral roots and the stark, intellectual landscape of the Norwegian capital. While composing this second LP for The Karbi Death Ritual, the physical distance from Diphu intensified my focus on indigenous ontological boundaries, turning the album into a site of creative friction where traditional cosmological registers met the cold, Nordic atmosphere. The project's signature blend of mathrock and hardcore served as a generative mechanism for worldmaking, using complex frequencies to map the liminal transition of the spirit and the historical weight of Karbi migration. Living in Norway between 2018 and 2024, this specific period in 2023 became a pivotal moment of epistemic sovereignty; I wasn't merely producing music, but defending a sovereign storyworld against the domesticating pressures of cultural absorption. Thireng Vangreng was the result of that relentless discipline—a 'verb' of resistance that transformed my experience as a doctoral fellow into a sonic exploration of Karbi Futurism, proving that even in the diaspora, the Muse remains an inseparable human trait.
Describe the visual aesthetic of The Karbi Death Ritual project—what inspired its unique look?
The visual identity of The Karbi Death Ritual project employs a 'decolonial-noir' aesthetic that reclaims archival colonial photography by layering it with high-contrast typography and digital distortions. By repurposing nineteenth-century ethnographic records and library archives through saturated reds, redacted text, and thermal-style heat maps, the artwork moves these figures from the status of colonial subjects into active participants of a sovereign storyworld. This juxtaposition of traditional attire with futuristic, digital-style scripts creates a mythopolitical friction, effectively visualizing the concept of Advanced Karbi Futurism. The art serves as a visual frequency that mirrors the project's music, challenging the 'narrative enclosure' of the past and re-centering the Karbi experience as a living, evolving universe.
What inspired the philosophical writing you've shared with us?
My writing and conceptual frameworks—such as the one regarding the Mosēra as a sovereign storyworld—are inspired by the need for epistemic sovereignty. I am moved by the friction between indigenous narrative logic and hegemonic cultural absorption. I write to highlight how localized cosmological registers, anchored in ancestral reciprocity and our land, allow a community to 'narrate existence otherwise.' It's a form of intellectual resistance, ensuring that Karbi stories are told by Karbi voices, on Karbi terms, for generations to come.
How does your audience interaction influence your creative process?
While my music is deeply personal, I see it as an offering to those seeking alternatives to the 'watered down' mainstream. I create to foster reflection and provide a space for those who want to transcend societal divides. While I make music primarily for myself and those close to me, the goal is to create a resonance that helps others find their own 'frequency.' When a listener tells me that a song changed their perspective or offered solace, it reaffirms that this work is not just self-indulgent; it's a collective, healing ritual.
What makes your workspace feel inspiring?
My workspace is inspired by the discipline of the craft. I believe that while everyone is talented, consistency wins. My creative philosophy is rooted in repetition and discipline. Whether I am working on Trancemigrate's upcoming prog-metal EP Exit-Stasis, Kum Chirui's experimental folk album KA Chingroom, or the 5th album of The Karbi Death Ritual titled Advanced Karbi Futurism, the inspiration comes from the work itself and the commitment to evolving Karbi music for the future. The desk, the monitors, the half-empty coffee cup—these aren't just objects; they are altars to the daily practice of turning silence into sound.
Contact and Follow
Email: karbi.keplang@gmail.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theangmadhatter2491
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kum_chirui/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kumchirui7284
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trancemigrate/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trancemigrate7926
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotaru_tribe/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7L9VT5N5rPMhk0L8-j7Kfg
