Written in the aftermath of a long-term relationship, multi-instrumentalist, composer, & producer Jay Chakravorty calls his modern-classical solo debut “a kind of a break-up album, but for a place as much as a person”. Recorded in homes and studios around London with the help of musician friends, ‘A Map With No Memory’ is essentially an exploration of how our perception of our surroundings is affected by personal experience and how profoundly those perceptions can change.
“I felt for a time that my chosen hometown was becoming a cold, unfamiliar place. For the first time I understood what people meant when they said that London could be a lonely place to live. I lost all sense of the city as my home, it became this isolating, closed off place – a weird labyrinth of streets that held very specific memories that I couldn’t get away from.”
Jay Chakravorty
Having a steady and supportive friend during times like these is a precious thing and Jay translates his own experience with this into a touching piece called “Alexia, Berlin” which appears on the album and which you can see performed here in an enchanting live session along with Ellie Wilson (first violin), Sue Lord (second violin), Emma Hooper (viola), and Jo Quail (cello).
“‘Alexia, Berlin’ is about two things I love dearly. My friend and the city she lives in. And specifically, how her friendship and her hometown were such a comfort at a really low point after a relationship ended. I escaped to Berlin to lick my wounds and Alexia took me in and put me back on my feet…It’s about platonic love in general – the feeling of being truly seen that comes with the closest friendships, and the support and hope that can give you when you need it most.”
Jay Chakravorty
While ‘A Map With No Memory’ is his first album released under his own name, he has been featured on BBC 6 Music as Cajita as well composing music for theater, film, & television and performing extensively as a session musician. The album will be released on April 23rd on Unperceived Records. Cover art is by Melanie Kretzer.
Links: Bandcamp | Jay Chakravorty
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