'Elephant', the second excerpt from 'Dualism' by Nādt Orchestra, out on May 9 via Locomotiv Records, moves away from the spiritual tones of the previous single, focusing on a rhythmic playfulness close to the neo-Afrobeat influences of Ezra Collective and Nomade Orquestra.
The track opens with a theme reprised by the guitar and brass section, leading to a dense improvisational moment, where drums, percussion, synths, and saxophone engage in a dynamic and fiery exchange.
It is a piece inspired by the traditional Indian parable The Blind Men and the Elephant, which illustrates how individual perception can shape or distort reality. The story tells of a group of blind people who, upon touching an elephant, offer conficting descriptions of it, each based on their own limited experience (as each perceives a different part of the elephant). It serves as a metaphor, reinforcing Dualism's central theme: looking beyond appearances and surface-level perceptions.
The blind men's perspective mirrors the listener's experience: while the rhythmic structure of 'Elephant' is defined, it allows for subjective interpretation, leading to different perceptions. The piece, therefore,
invites re!ection on the nature of perception—be it visual or auditory—and how it shapes our understanding of reality.
Made up of eight young and talented musicians, Nādt Orchestra was founded in Bologna in 2020. Nādt Orchestra's sound is a journey between tradition and innovation, where different genres converge and intertwine, giving life to a dynamic, ever-evolving sound.