Style Record: Parekh & Singh

It takes a lot to stand out in music’s competitive landscape. Kolkata-based dream pop duo Parekh & Singh have managed to do just that with their insanely charming debut album Ocean, which is overflowing with enchanting love songs and musings about the modern world. Made up of singer-songwriter Nischay Parekh and percussionist Jivral “Jiver” Singh, the pair has started making major waves in the US, despite coming from the other side of the world. Their music, ripe for coffee shops or lazy Sunday mornings, has character that makes it easily distinguishable from Parekh & Singh’s American counterparts. In the song “Philosophize,” Parekh sings “Cuz I’ve got a New York state of mind in Indian Standard Time,” a gem that aptly summarizes the group’s overall vibe.

Moreover, they’ve begun releasing visuals for their music, which adds a lovely new context to tracks the blogosphere had already fallen in love with. The music video for “I Love You Baby, I love You Doll” pulls obvious influence from Wes Anderson, more specifically his 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom. Directed by Misha Ghose, a friend of the band, the video leans heavily on unsaturated colors and generally quant direction. Moreover, Parekh & Singh look dapper as all hell. To get to know them better, Paste talked to the two about their compelling style.

Paste: Can you tell us about contemporary fashion in India for men?

Parekh: Fashion in India is very diverse like the country and culture itself. Most of it is tied in at some point to ethnic styles and traditions—most of the top designers are doing either Indian wear or a fusion of East and West. That being said, most young people in India wear imported fashion—mostly from Europe and North America.

Paste: Overall, is there a lot of American or European influence on fashion there or do you feel like it’s fairly separate?

Parekh: I would say there is definitely a huge influence from designers like Tom Ford for instance. His influence is found in high fashion and even a Zara-type of store in India.

Paste: Who are some of your idols when it comes to dressing up?

Parekh: Some of our idols would be Walt Disney, George and Gilbert… Richard Gere is also someone who’s always so cool with his style. We love hip-hop and the sportier urban aesthetic as well. So Drake, The Weeknd and Anderson.Paak are pretty inspirational, too.

Paste: How do you dress during a normal day as opposed to when you’re performing onstage?

Parekh: We’re ridiculously casual off stage. I like cotton trousers, and Jivraj likes denims. We’re both big lovers of the round neck solid color t-shirts. We probably own over 100 between us.

Paste: What’s your go-to outfit for the winter?

Parekh: It doesn’t really get cold in our part of India. I really like this nice chocolate leather jacket that I got from Hong Kong.

Paste: If you had to sum up your style in three words, what would they be?

Parekh: Specific, Playful and Classic.

Paste: What do you think is the worst fashion trend that’s ever existed?

Parekh: Bell bottom jeans, for sure!

Paste: Do you think the connection between fashion and music is important, and if so, why?

Parekh: All aspects that are visual will inform the music and the overall aesthetic so musicians should have a specific sense of how they want to look, even if it’s not high fashion or tailored suits, it’s important to be conscious of how you’re presented.