Earth day 2026: Soumik Datta uses music to connect audiences with nature
Mumbai: Musician Soumik Datta marked Earth Day 2026 with a special performance of Melodies in Slow Motion at G5A Warehouse, Mumbai, using sound to highlight ecological connection and climate awareness.
The show blends sarod, mridangam, violin, and tabla with field recordings of insect sounds captured by sound designer Rahul Nandkarni. Using granular synthesis, the team stretches half-second insect flutters into five-minute melodic drones, turning nature’s hidden rhythms into music.
Commissioned by British Council India, Melodies in Slow Motion explores trophic cascades — how small changes in ecosystems create big ripple effects. The performance also invites audience participation, making each show unique.
“Activism can sometimes feel like a lecture, but music is an invitation,” Soumik said. “When you hear the rhythmic beauty of a species that is going extinct, you feel a sense of loss that a newspaper headline cannot provide. Music goes straight to the nervous system. If I can make an audience feel connected with a honeybee, they are more likely to care about its survival.
”The April 22 performance aimed to build awareness through emotion and sound, turning climate change into something audiences can feel, not just understand.
