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Mystx: Setting The Soundtrack To Summer

By Ann Grenier | Photos courtesy of MYST

A family trio of musicians from Harvard launches an exciting collection of new songs with Indian heritage influence perfectly merged with captivating pop dance sounds. Piqued interest in the cultural phenomena of artistic elements from India is taking the world by storm after the superhit musical number “Naatu Naatu” from the Telugu blockbuster RRR won a historic Oscar for Best Original Song.

Now three musical prodigies named MYSTX are helping revolutionize the industry to soaring new heights with the same inspirational background leading the way. The evolving sounds of the group have already been elevating the minds and spirits of listening ears in the past few years. Their new EP Gap Year is set to transform even further with innovative recent work full of captivating tempos and synchronized tunes.

SUMMER MAGIC
Just in time to create a magical summer in the music world, Gap Year is set to become an instant hit with audiences of all ages. Currently, four songs are out on all streaming platforms and include “Reasons,” “Remember,” “Mystic,” and “Fever.”

The New York City-based pop group is a joyous family affair, including members of 23-year-old twin sisters Riya and Sara along with their 19-year-old percussionist brother Kavi. Their debut EP uses samples from Qawwali legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Composing a pop album around this prolific style has created a compelling mix of dance tracks using instruments and sounds from all over India. Percussive instruments like the ghatam and dumbek are a rarity that produces uncommon beats. They also take equal inspiration from their training in Indian classical dance. Riya and Sara are both professional Bharatnatyam dancers with over a decade of experience. The electrifying qualities formulate gems of listening pleasure that the Western pop world craves. 

Having grown up in New York City in an eclectic Indian American household, MYSTX takes innovation from seamless blends of sounds from all over the globe. Their vision is rooted in what has been intuitive since their youth. The trio’s maternal grandmother was also a renowned Carnatic and Hindustani classical singer in her time. As a result, the passion for performance is in their blood and beats as strongly as their connection to Indian melody and rhythm. From their rich heritage comes incredibly danceable sounds that they believe the world is now ready to discover.

“We hope that each of our upcoming EPs, starting with this first one, will take inspiration from countless musical genres in India, including Hindustani, Carnatic, Rajasthani Folk, and Qawwali,” collectively MYSTX states. “We want to proudly showcase just how diverse Indian music is. But, more than that, we want to make music reflecting how naturally these sounds blend into the Western pop world.”

Riya and Sara are juniors at Harvard College, while Kavi is a Harvard Berklee Dual Degree program freshman. Taking time between classes, the trio dedicates their lives to music as equally as studying. Interest in the musicians has already garnered the attention of legendary music producer and songwriter Poo Bear, who helped develop the sounds of Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, and Usher. As a result, MYSTX has plans to develop more music with the hitmakers.

For more information on Mystx, visit officialmystx.com