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Still ‘flying’ high, M’luru band Garden Square poised to release new single on Oct 25

Photo Credit :

All photos have been provided by Garden Square

Mangaluru: Clichéd as it may sound, music is a language that transcends all human divisions and touches the soul of every individual. Here is one of the many stories that prove this age-old saying right.

An alternative rock band formed for a Battle of the Bands competition by a group of friends – Rayner Fernandes, Galvin Fernandes, Nazreth D’Souza, Melroy D’Souza, Vishakh, Melrick Pais, and Joshua Serrao – who were doing their engineering together, Garden Square released its first single in April of the same year they were formed- 2019.

Titled “Bars and Chains”, the group’s first single produced by Devadattan Nair, started off as a song written for the competition. “But after looking at the audience’s response, and also seeing the number of requests from our friends to make it a single, we recorded the song,“ vocalist of the band Galvin Fernandes (23) told Newskarnataka.com.

“The response we got was amazing and the song received over 6,000 streams on Spotify till date. This response is what helped us solidify our plans to continue as a band and release more music. So you can say that it’s the song that started it all,” he said.

Adding that the song was developed from the experiences obtained by participating in many Battle of the Bands, he said that “Bars and Chains” is infused with a very competitive spirit.

So much of what the band is today revolves around their days participating in competitions that even its name was conceived ahead of a Batte of the Bands contest.

“It all started when we had to perform for the first time at a Battle of Bands competition. We tried to come up with a number of names, but couldn’t decide on one which we all could agree on. So, we decided to go with Garden Square, which was Rayner’s WiFi password at the time, as our temporary band name. But, as most things go, the name stuck with us and a lot of people loved it. So, we decided to go with it permanently.”

It’s Like Flying

Unlike 2019, which seems to have been some five years ago, 2020 was a bad year for many people for many different reasons. However, to Garden Square, 2020 looked like a very promising year and regardless of the pandemic, the band continued composing their music. It was around this time that the band started to work with their new producer Roger Loren, who helped them throughout the lockdown period, guiding the team to bring out the best of their alternative style while also keeping up the competitive spirit that gave rise to Garden Square in the first place.

Over their journey together, the band went through numerous experiences, some of which were very tough on its members, but this period only made their music stronger setting a course for their long run.

Now, more than a year after they released their first release, Garden Square is all set to launch a new single titled “It’s Like Flying”.

Speaking about the new single, Nazreth said, “The Eagle is considered to be one of the most elegant entities in nature, which goes through a second birth by isolating itself halfway through its life. This very essence is what lies at the core of ‘It’s Like Flying’. It aims to connect with people on a level that can help them move forward and redefine themselves regardless of circumstance. This transformation is beautifully portrayed in the song from its roaring guitars at the beginning to the epic conclusion at the end. ‘It’s Like Flying’ is sure to take its listeners on a trip!”

“It’s Like Flying” is written and composed by Garden Square and Roger Loren has done the production of the track, as well as the mixing and mastering.

Garden Square looking forward

While some of Garden Square’s members work day jobs while the others pursue their education, they hope to be full-time musicians someday and make it big.

“As of now, the band, along with our producer, is focused only on the things at play right now. It wouldn’t make sense to plan anything on a long term basis. That being said, we are not entirely sure if Garden Square plans on being an independent artist for long in the near future, as it’s wise for any artist to know what their limitations are on a realistic scale. So we believe that its best if the six of us stay focused on what we are really good at and build on them. In short, we are really looking forward to work with people that will help us realize our vision on a grand scale and see our goals as their own,” the band said regarding their future.

Although Garden Square performs cover songs from time to time during live performances, they mostly make original music. They are also looking to collaborate with other artists to expand their horizon.

Mangaluru-origin producer for Garden Square and foley and sound design supervisor Roger Loren, who has worked on several popular projects such as MTV Unplugged, The Stage, Dil Hai Hindustani 2, Tulu film Girgit, and Trondheim Calling, a music festival that occurred in Norway in 2016, had a lot of praise for this rising band.

“I am thrilled to have worked with Garden Square. The boys were bursting with energy from day one,” Roger told NewsKarnataka.com.

“The unexpected lockdown didn’t stop us, as we immediately improvised and found ways to work remotely, with the help of whatever tools we could source, away from the luxuries of the comfort zone. I see a lot of great potential in their music.

“They’ve got a sound Mangaluru has never heard before,” he added, wishing Garden Square the very best.

About Garden Square:

The band was founded by rhythm guitarist Rayner Fernandes (23), vocalist Galvin Fernandes, lead guitarist’s Nazreth D’Souza (23) and Melroy D’Souza (22), drummer Vishakh (22), bassist Melrick Pais (22) and former keyboardist Joshua Serrao (23), who has since left the group for personal reasons. Initially formed by a group of friends during their engineering studies to compete in various Battle of Bands in and around the city of Mangaluru, it slowly grew to something much bigger.

Garden Square developed its unique sound by stitching together the different styles each member had individually built in different genres, creating an overall sound which took a turn towards an entirely new experience of alternative rock.

As the band started to hit various stages across Karnataka, it started to get its own unique image with the use of synths, dual lead guitars, melodic compositions and a pinch of progressive elements brought out in a very strong way!

About the members:

Galvin Fernandes is the vocalist and co-founder of Garden Square and is inspired by the bands such as Queen, My Chemical Romance, Breaking Benjamin, Panic At The Disco and Led Zeppelin. He tries to get the perfect blend of classics and new -age music when he writes melodies and lyrics. He derives inspiration from his personal experiences and also the people around him to deliver a compelling story through his lyrics. Driven by passion and known for his powerful vocals, Galvin puts his heart into the music and always strives to bring out the best in the band.

Rayner Fernandes is the rhythm guitarist and co-founder of Garden Square. Rayner grew up listening to hard rock, metal, electronic music, alternative rock/pop and had an extreme interest in music technology. He studied how music evolved over time and during his engineering days, and the early days of the band, he pushed the technical aspects of Garden Square and integrated it in the songwriting process, making the band go in a direction where it could push the boundaries of tech and keep making music in an ever-refreshing way.

Lead guitarist and co-founder of Garden Square, Melroy D’Souza‘s major influences are John Mayer, BB King, and Eric Clapton, who have led him to a unique style in playing and writing stunning, expressive and engaging solos that truly makes the guitar speak. Melroy places a huge emphasis on feel, as he believes that every guitar solo has got a story of its own. As a co-lead guitarist of the band, he adds a lot of harmony and compliments the vocals in a very unique way.

Nazreth D’Souza is the lead guitarist and co-founder of Garden Square. He grew up with electronic rock influences from bands such as Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars, Coldplay and other such alternative rock artists which led to him developing his own songwriting style. In recent years, Nazreth’s main influences have been Plini, I Built the Sky and Steve Vai. In the meantime, Nazreth has also integrated his artwork and other visual aspects into the band’s music, taking its alternative style in a very unique direction.

Bassist and co-founder Melrick Pais has incorporated elements from alternative/hard rock and punk/pop-rock bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ghost B. C., and My Chemical Romance. He progresses with simple yet best sounding groves, backing up the entire band with massive bass lines and also writing lyrics and concepts, creating a whole new vibe to Garden Square’s songs.

Vishakh is the drummer and co-founder and is very much influenced by bands such as Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Dire straits. He began drumming at a young age and is a self-taught musician. He has integrated classic rock and punk rock influences in his drumming techniques and has a very unique, unpredictable, and creative essence that contributes a lot to the band.

Bars and Chains:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5J4sWtW6vDPlaDkBOxSAZW

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/bars-and-chains-single/1458682538

YouTube: https://youtu.be/9jJm9KpBbrU

Find Garden Square on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gardensquare.music?igshid=l4mmh3n1ymnj

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gardensquare.music/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIczAg2jDPGjSBd8ioQsWww

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0J1OyCQeSqlzr8FTTXImZB

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Andrea Noronha

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