A Sonic Journey
Varun’s fascination with electronic music began in the mid 1980s thanks to the arrival of a Commodore Amiga in his home in Kolkata. Instant Music, the interactive software developed by Electronic Arts in 1986, allowed him as a 4 year old to start creating variations of played sounds. This early computer music was the seed that would in his teenage years draw him deeply towards electronic music composition. Without any formal guidance in this field, Varun explored every opportunity that allowed the worlds of computers and creativity to come together. This naturally led to him to learn how to use both computer graphic suites and digital audio workstations. After leaving India to pursue a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, Varun returned with a renewed energy to bring about cultural change in his hometown in the mid 2000s. This led to a slew of projects that kickstarted multiple music movements in the city that encompassed Indie, Electronic, Bass, Jazz, Ambient & Experimental music.
The reemergence of Charanjit Singh in 2010 set Varun down a path of discovery of non-traditional Indian music. The founding of Synthfarm in 2015 also allowed him to start taking his experiments with building intruments into a structured format that brought about a collaboration with Aditya Nandwana of Animal Factory Amplification and led to the development of the Pocasynth, India’s first (DIY) synthesizer. In the 2020s Varun was approached by a BBC producer to comment on the NID Synthesizer during Paul Purgas’ research trips. His own research over the next 3 years led to a decision to start rebuilding the NID Synthesizer with modern modules in a travel friendly format in his Kolkata studio. The publication of the book Subcontinental Synthesis by Purgas in 2024 revealed more histories of the era and inspired Varun to expand the project into a performance that would allow him to tell the stories of Electronic India. During these performances he creates music with the synthesizer, visuals through his creative coding and narrates stories from India’s past and present. Switched on India celebrates the rich cultural history of South Asia, technological nostalgia of the 60s and 70s and the dreams of those looking for an identity where tradition and innovation intertwine.
An ode to synthesizers
Switched on India is a heartfelt tribute to the synthesizer’s transformative power, showcasing its ability to bridge cultures, eras, and creative visions. Varun’s performances highlight the instrument’s unique voice, from the warm oscilators to its filter banks and analog spring reverb, echoing the experimental spirit of India’s 1960s electronic music studio. This project celebrates synthesizers not just as tools but as storytellers, weaving South Asia’s rich musical heritage with global influences.
Varun Desai reimagines works like Debussy’s Clair de Lune in the same way that Isao Tomita did in 1974. He explores Hindustani ragas and forgotten Indian electronic compositions, demonstrating the synthesizer’s versatility and its capacity to invoke the spirit. Paired with live creative coding that generates dynamic visuals, each performance transforms sound into a multisensory journey, inviting audiences to hear India’s past and present in new ways. The synthesizer’s duophonic arrangements, with their deliberate restraint, mirror the emotive subtlety of traditional music while embracing the futuristic hum of technology. Switched on India honours the legacy of pioneers like Wendy Carlos, whose Switched on Bach redefined the instrument’s potential, and Charanjit Singh, whose rediscovery inspired Varun’s exploration of non-traditional Indian sounds.
Varun has built a platform for synthesizer music to thrive, fostering a dialogue between the experimental ethos of the ‘60s and today’s datas driven narratives, blending the tactililty of patching modular systems with the boundless possibilities of digital creativity. This project underscores the synthesizer’s role as a cultural connector and vessel for India’s musical lineage.