"The studio is an instrument in itself, and you have to learn how to play it." - David Bowie
For Calcutta-based graphic designer and filmmaker Samik Bhattacharya, music is the ultimate conduit for nostalgic discovery and unbridled experimentation. "Phantom Haze Project" came from the curiosity of exploring the beautiful soundscape of acoustic songs of two of his favourite artists - Led Zeppelin and Simon & Garfunkel
His approach to music is entirely self-taught, guided heavily by the same instinct that drives his filmmaking. His musical education happened not in a conservatory, but through the obsessive study of songwriting giants like Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and the deeply layered solo careers of the individual Beatles.
The recording process for this debut is a conscious departure from the hyper-quantized, heavily synthesized sounds that dominate much of modern music. His focus remains singularly on the art of nuanced phrasing and the excitement of discovering an analog sound. To capture the organic magic of the 1970s, he has turned his home workspace into a cozy sanctuary of vintage emulation. As an introverted artist, he finds that the studio offers a profound sense of freedom for creative expression. It is a secluded haven where he can safely test boundaries without the pressure of an audience. As David Bowie once reflected, "The studio is an instrument in itself, and you have to learn how to play it." Samik has taken this philosophy to heart, utilizing his sanctuary to paint with sound.
Playing acoustic guitar, he is currently intrigued by the immense possibilities of the software at his fingertips. By utilizing Universal Audio’s true-to-life analog plugin recreations alongside Analog Obsession plugins, running seamlessly on an Apple Mac Mini M4, he has managed to build a virtual vintage console environment within his home. Tracking through an AKG P120 Condenser microphone into a Behringer UMC22 interface, he pushes entry-level gear to its absolute limits through meticulous digital analog modeling.
His inspiration is drawn directly from the meticulous behind-the-scenes documentation of legendary artists. Recently coming across Jimmy Page's private studio sessions, he was struck by the raw, unfiltered experimentation. As Page himself noted, "I wanted to give the illusion of sound, of three-dimensional sound." Samik became fascinated with the effects and textures achieved by these pioneers. Keeping in mind producer George Martin's famous sentiment that "The studio was a blank canvas, and we were throwing paint at it," he draws inspiration from the acoustic textures of classic rock, trying to replicate the beautiful musicality that has captivated him for years.
He is currently working on completing a full-length acoustic album that continues to explore these spontaneous, era-defining soundscapes.