This recording was made during a Kathakali performance — a traditional Indian theatre art form native to the Malayalam-speaking state of Kerala. It captures a 9-minute percussive piece performed by an ensemble featuring the Chenda and Maddalam, two prominent drums of the tradition, accompanied by the echoing tones of Chengila (gong) and Elathalam (cymbals).
Recorded from the audience’s perspective, the audio reflects not just the instruments themselves but also the layered soundscape projected through nearby speakers, with occasional murmurs that ground the recording in the real-life atmosphere of the performance.
Recorded in Ettumanoor, India by Manu Krishnakumar.