Reibang Chakma
MESS Artist, New Waveforms – March 2025
Reibang Chakma, an electronic music artist from North East India, channels the essence of human improvisation through intricate textures and melodic glitches.
Exploring ecological sounds via electronic means, Reibang Chakma delivers a unique sonic experience blending the harmonic drones of classical Indian music with contemporary electronic dance music sensibilities.
Having graced venues such as Make it up Club in Melbourne, Australia, the artist seamlessly blends techno beats, IDM textures, and elements of folk and jazz. Their compositions embody improvisation, chance-based creation, and glitchy dance rhythms, offering listeners a transformative journey through life, nature, and the nuances of the post-human experience. With a style that defies convention, Reibang Chakma invites audiences to immerse themselves in an avant-garde sonic journey, where their cultural roots meet the cutting edge of electronic exploration.
How did you first get involved with synths and electronic sound?
My first interaction with electronic music actually happened in Melbourne. I remember really enjoying The Chemical Brothers and how they seamlessly integrated a psychedelic aspect into electronic music. As someone who taught myself guitar and drums in high school (with the occasional help from YouTube), discovering Ableton felt like finding the holy grail. Having a portable synth on my laptop was revolutionary—though I think GarageBand might have come first.
I also remember going to a MESS exhibition at the Grainger Museum about six years ago, where I got to play with old synths that had been preset to make all sorts of weird sounds. That completely blew my mind because I couldn’t undo the changes happening to these machines—it was kind of awesome. Now, I just try my best not to spend too much on synths and instead make the most of what I already have!
How would you describe the sounds you make today?
My sound really depends on what I’m interested in at any given moment. I’m constantly improvising and jamming on my guitar—it’s my safe instrument. No surprises, no planning or sequencing needed. Most of the time, I just sit with a looper and an electric guitar at home, which feels a lot more grounding than dealing with the file management and technical aspects that come with electronic music today.
Even simpler than playing is just listening—letting that turn into inspiration. So, trying to describe what I’ll make today really depends on what I hear and what sparks something in me.
Where do you find inspiration, what motivates you?
I’m really interested in the interactions between humans, machines, and the environment—how all of these elements create interconnected “nervous systems” of sorts and the dialogue that emerges from their complexities (or simplicities). Thinking of my synths and instruments as living things in their own way is a huge source of inspiration for me.
What’s been one of the most rewarding or satisfying moments of your journey so far?
For my Bachelor’s in Design at RMIT, I designed a noisy FM synth and hooked it up to an ultrasonic sensor. Playing it for the first time was incredibly satisfying—I’d love to do more of that kind of work. It gave me a much deeper appreciation of the synths I had at the time (which were also based on FM synthesis).
Do you have a current ‘go to’ set up at MESS? Any favourite machines or combos that you’re currently digging?
The Lyra-8 by Soma Laboratories—massive drone sounds! I initially had a digital version of it and had a lot of fun with that too.
Are there any machines in the MESS collection you’ve had your eye on but haven’t tried yet?
I’ve been curious about the Taal Tarang and would love to try it out. I’m also interested in learning more about Indian classical music and rhythms.
If you could give yourself one piece of advice when you first started what would it be?
Reibang Chakma performs at New Waveforms, Brunswick Music Festival
Date: Wednesday, March 5th, 2025
Time: 7pm-9pm
Venue: Brunswick Mechanics Institute
