Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 2: Martians, a city-based band, has released its debut single, ‘What's Stopping you’ on YouTube. The song has garnered positive response among listeners.

Martians began performing in college events in 2017 with the original five members of the band (Anston, Riyan, Shrest, Roopith, and Prasad). The bass player and keyboardist chose to leave ways the next year, resulting in Benet and Melroy becoming permanent members of the band in 2018. Aaron, their most recent addition to their band, joined as a permanent member in 2019.

Aaron Mark

Anston Rodrigues

Benet Braganza

Galvin Fernandes

Melroy Fernandes

Riyan Soans

Shrest Kadri

Vijeth Ullal

Their musical journey began during events at St Aloysius PU College campus (2017-2019), and they have been performing together in college festivals, Battle of Bands, and gigs in and around Mangaluru since then.

They are noted for their distinct fusion sound, which includes everything from Indian classical to progressive rock to melodic EDM. Due to the affection and support they have got from students and their friends at St Aloysius PU college, degree colleges, and people all across Mangaluru, they have an extraordinarily wide popularity, primarily constituted of a young audience.

“The song is called 'What's Stopping You' and it evolves around the ideas of ambition, the drive to achieve greatness, and the motivation to never give up on your dreams. The making of this song began almost two months prior to its release. We have written and recorded the entire song at home due to the Covid19 lockdown situation around the same time and has been perfected over the span of a month and half. This song was created entirely on Ableton without the use of any costly instruments. A BM800 condenser mic and a Behringer UM2 Interface were used to record vocals, acoustic guitars, and violins in a bedroom. It has vocals from Vijeth Ullal and Galvin Fernandes, two expressively talented and well known singers from Mangaluru. The making of this song was definitely a journey for all of us as we finally were putting our hearts out through the melodies and rhythms we were writing and recording. We were happy to see it grow and mature into what it sounds today,” say the band members.

The rhythm/lead guitarist is Riyan Soans. Riyan's music has been influenced by artists such as Plini and Snarky Puppy. Riyan's unique approach to chord pattern creation launched the band in a new direction, allowing them to push the boundaries of their musicality while always generating new music.

Benet Braganza is the band's bassist. He's used parts from Polyphia and Dirty Loops, among others. Progressing with basic yet best-sounding groves, backing up the entire band with magical bass lines, and also co-producing, mixing, and mastering their tunes, giving them a whole new feeling.

The violinist is Anston Rodrigues. Anston's music has been influenced by artists such as Sid Sriram and Govind Vansantha. Beautiful compositions and exquisite violin melodies arise from Anston's grasp of harmony. He also attentively examines the structure of the songs and makes any necessary changes. Leading up to the single ‘What's stopping you’.

The band's drummer is Shrest Kadri. Artists like Shiv Mani and Gino Banks have a big influence on him. Self-taught musician who began drumming at an early age and has incorporated Indian Classical influences into his drumming methods. He has a highly distinct, surprising, and innovative element that greatly contributes to the band's percussive side.

Melroy Fernandes is the band's keyboardist. His musicality is influenced by artists such as One Ok Rock and Takahiro Moriuchi. He also co-produces with Benet and Aaron, bringing his own flavour to the band through the use of synths and sounds. He puts his heart and his soul into the music, and he is constantly striving to bring out the best in the band.

Aaron Mark is the band's acoustic/rhythm guitarist and producer. Electronic and modern music, as well as performers such as Pineapple Express and Skrillex, have had a strong influence on him. With his electronic music, he holds the band together and creates mental loops, which elevates the musically dense band to new heights.