When Ashwin and Shara Deepankar started Aatmaa — meaning “the soul” in Hindi — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they viewed the project as an outlet to express (and process) their complex responses to a very fraught period. But as the Chicago-based married couple recorded the dark, intense music for Cataclysm, they landed on a sound that transcended any finite time period and instead reflects on more universal themes: personal upheaval, the emotional toll of loss, and navigating depression and anxiety.
A quintessential headphones record, Cataclysm is intimate and dynamic, encompassing moody alternative rock that balances atmospheric arrangements (the spiritual “Solstice,” a solemn “Her Stoning”) with moments of aggression (the roaring “It Sleeps”). Dig deeper, and listeners will find detailed layers of sonic texture: On “Low Lights,” a scalloped melodic guitar riff matches the steady rhythmic hum of the drums, while a desolate synthesizer snakes through the elegiac “Dementia Pending” until electrified guitars emerge and explode like a meticulous fireworks show. Cataclysm often calls to mind Dead Can Dance and The Cure’s sprawling, foggy Disintegration — but there’s a rawer edge to the music that ensures it feels contemporary.
How would you describe the sound you created as Aatmaa?
That’s tough. To most, we just say it’s rock music but if we had to describe it we would say: ethereal, rhythm heavy and haunting synthesis.
What do you hope listeners take from hearing Cataclysm?
We hope they can take comfort. We were pretty sad when we made this album and we found the best way to work through the sadness was to create something sad. We found a lot of comfort and value in going through the creative process together.
What are you most proud of with this album?
That it’s completed! There was a lot of imposter syndrome. There was a world in which we never released it, so we’re really happy that we made it here.
What is the meaning behind the song “It Sleeps”?
It’s ultimately about loss of a relationship and dealing with the fall out of someone so close to you now being so far away.
What about the video for “It Sleeps” – what’s the story for that? Any intel or fun facts you can share with us?
The video is definitely up for interpretation. As far as fun intel, we made this with our friends which was so, so fun and we highly encourage everyone to make art with your friends. Aaron Ehinger was our videographer. Ashley Mishler and Angela Mishler were set design, wardrobe, and make up. Silas Mishler was the creative genius who directed the video. He was really helpful in the writing process for this song so it felt appropriate to have him involved with the video. We told him we wanted vibrancy. We shot it in a day in Silas’s sister’s garage in small town Indiana. Ashley and Angela made the perfect “void” as we called it to film in. Silas had this great idea to use a liquid green goo that would act as a green screen in production. We had minimal takes for each shot because it took so long to reset. We had to scrub the goo off and then remake-up so a lot of this was shot in 1-2 takes. We were nervous just hoping that we got everything we needed but ultimately we loved how it turned out.
If you could tour/perform with anyone, who would be your top choice(s)?
We would love to tour or perform with Radiohead, Beach House, and/or Billie Eilish. We’d say that’s a solid top 3.
