Ashmaan is an Electro-Acoustic duo based in Kolkata with a singer songwriter at its heart. Just as each petal opens up to create the ethereal beauty of a flower in full bloom, Ashmaan borrows from tradition to create a contemporary sonic landscape that takes the listeners through many moods and emotions. Driven by originals that are both soulful and thought provoking, the band also performs unique interpretations of popular Indian folk tunes adding depth and ambience that makes it all the more accessible to modern day audience. Sukanti is the sole sound forger for ‘Ashmaan’. He plays an indispensable role in creating the arrangements on his acoustic guitar and also electric guitar for high energy numbers ideal for the young crowd. His touch for the guitar is superbly human, warm, melodic and bursting with feel and on the other the loops he create are trippy, psychedelic, ambient, upbeat and chill out. Together the man machine combo is an indispensable symbiotic relationship that defines the Ashmaan sound. The objective is to feature an exchange of dialogue between urban electronic music, traditional folk and original compositions reflecting times that we live in. Sukanti's quiet yet cutting creative force is driven by his super understanding of western pop/rock/alternative and metal and above all a repertoire of 20 years of professional music. Anushree is the singer-songwriter for the band. Her originals in Bengali, paint the picture of city life, its highs and lows and the gamut of experiences that make life the way it is. Her lyrics and tunes are simple, bold, modern and urban; they tell stories and evoke moods. As for covers, Anushree is into varied Indian folk forms such as Baul (from Bengal), Sufi, Assamese, Rajasthani, Haryanvi folk…… them being an integral part of her musical ethos. Through their sound, Sukanti and Anushree offer the electro acoustic signature style that Ashmaan stands for. Their treatment accentuates the moods and lyrics of the songs; and also provides the much needed psychedelia that adds a swirling depth to the folk tunes. Ashmaan also has a high energy segment to their concert where the electric guitar takes control and appeals massively to the young crowd. With a firm belief that originality can sit comfortably with root music forms, Ashmaan takes these seemingly opposite extreme philosophies to reach out to listeners with a set list that is versatile and entertaining and through a sound that best defines our times. Ashmaan also performs its acoustic set occasionally depending on “the mood is right” phenomena.