My Compelling Story

The Koi is an alternative/folk/experimental band from Manipur. Koi, literally meaning ‘beard’ in Manipuri, is a signifier they have chosen to repress. The five members – Rishikesh Thangjam, Kamlesh Khundrakpam, Nongpok Arambam, Kumarjit Huirem and Sumit Lukram – came together sometime in 2012. Rishikesh is the songwriter/singer of the group while the rest juggle guitars, keyboard, and percussion. Their proficiency in western classical guitar and an innate affinity to folk music of the region gives their music a character of the freshness of sound and approach. A mixture of diverse and sometimes contradictory influences and inspirations is held together by an unmistakable sincerity. The band’s name is a signifier they have chosen to represent the essence of their music - instinctive, raw, and blithe. Childhood friends for long, the five eventually coalesce their musical pursuits and, during one of their many casual jam sessions in Shillong, The Koi was brought about. Webcast amateur recordings of their first few songs in English with just a laptop and a cheap mic garnered tremendous acclaim. Buoyed by the favourable response of a widening fan base they broadened their repertoire to encompass the Manipuri language. They began composing Manipuri songs penned by the renowned late playwright Arambam Samarendra, who is also father to Nongpok. Their musical transcriptions of the cherished text lend it a new incarnation and reaffirm the burgeoning of a musical tradition. They broke into the scene with ‘The Koi - The Journey So Far’ their debut concert held in Imphal in 2014. Their performance was commended as a very original blend of native and western musical influences by many among the audience comprising of an assorted demographic of music lovers of the region. They recently released their debut album, Episode 1.