Getting to know Banglamotorr

With the evolution of the digital age and digital music format, audio streaming and podcasts have bridged the gap between underground bands and their audience all around the world over the years. Banglamotorr, an emerging band on the block, has the skills and qualities needed to succeed in this regard. Comprised of four passionate musicians - vocalist and guitarist Zubair Hasan, drummer Mubarak Hossain Milon, guitarist Baivab Titam and bassist Farabi Ahmedullah, Banglamotorr creates English indie rock, inspired by famous performers such as Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead, and Arctic Monkeys among many others. Their music has influences of various other genres, including psychedelic, grunge, and punk.

Each of the four members of Banglamotorr are experienced musicians. They have known each other quite closely, and they eventually formed the band in 2014, but Zubair notes Banglamotorr was truly born with the release of their debut single, Lucid, in May 2018. The name of their band came from a place they all love, the terribly stained corners of a practice pad in Bangla Motor called Soundmachine, where they all came together for jamming.

Opening up about their song-writing process, Farabi explains, “Our lyrics are based on our personal experiences and feelings, which we think certain people can find relatable. We don't really want to define what Lucid is about – it is open to the audience's interpretation.” Their single was recorded and mixed by Rakat Zami. They collaborated with Saria Saguaro, widely known as Pretty Sh.tty Art on social media, for the artwork and promotions of the single. Shehab Rahman was the graphic artist behind the lyric video while Ahmed Intisher Fardeen did the animation.

Upon asking why they chose to compose songs in English, Zubair says, “Given that our band has the word 'Bangla' in the title, this is quite ironic. But rock music started in the USA and was refined in the UK – they are the largest exporters of music to this day. We want to not just be limited to Bangladesh, but create music that would reach a global audience.”

Moreover, Zubair asserts that although the availability of proper instruments, auditory arrangement of practice rooms and performance spaces serve as challenges for musicians in Bangladesh, if one has the aim of making music that is genuine and good, it is worth a shot. “It is not always going to be glamourous and most often it is going to be a lot of hard work, but the best part of being musicians is that we get to do what we truly love and are passionate about,” he says. Banglamotorr intends to do live shows, launch their own merchandise and release many more tracks in the coming days.