Goa is known for its original music. Artists like Chris Perry and Lorna put Goa on the international music stage, and it was quickly taken over by artists like Remo. In the last few years, the quantity of original music coming out of the state has been frugal, yet the quality has definitely moved with the times. We’ve seen artists such as Vince Cotta and Kristian Bent put out international folk music albums, while bands like Bad Blood and Electric Pulse have debuted hard rock albums that have stunned listeners. With the rise in the popularity of professional recording studios in Goa, recording original music has become more accessible. The latest artist to emerge from the Goan music stable is Ryan Mark, a veteran musician who’s finally taking the stage as a solo artist.
Goa in every note
Ryan Mark is no stranger to the Goan stage. A well-known musician in the state, Ryan was a member of Forefront, and co-founder of bands such as Raagas to Riches and AlphaCode 7. A master on the keyboards, the multi-instrumentalist also plays drums and guitars and is quite comfortable behind a sound mixer as well. When he’s not making music, he’s selling it at AVL Pro Global, a business that he started over a decade ago to provide state of the art audio equipment for commercial and residence from international brands such as Harman, Yamaha, Marantz, Polk Audio, and more.
With the release of his debut track ‘Hold On Now’, Ryan Mark is looking to establish himself as Goa’s newest international musician. The track itself is a punchy Rock N’ Roll number that dares any listener to grab a partner and hit the dance floor. In your face guitar riffs, smooth vocals, and an infectious drum track round off this worthy debut.
Hold On Now
Hold on Now is just the first of 4 singles to be released this year as Ryan Mark works towards releasing his first full-length album. The track, like all others to come, has been written, composed, and recorded entirely by Ryan Mark, while mixing and mastering has been done by a team in Mumbai and the US. Featuring the perfect jive beat and rhythm, this foot tapper is guaranteed to get you up and dancing. The recording features legendary Goan musicians Joe Ferrao on bass, Elvis Lobo on lead guitars, Delroy on keys, and Aurville Rodrigues on drums. Additional recording tracks were done at Audio Masters, Margao, and Reena Gilbert worked on the audio edit, mix, and mastering.
The video for the song which was launched on September 24, features a number of familiar faces in some familiar places. Shot entirely in Goa, the video for Hold On Now features a simple storyline that recants Goa’s favourite weekend plan – heading out to party! The video was shot over 2 days at popular locations like Como and Cohiba. The lead parts are played by Goa’s premiere dancers Cecille Lee Rodrigues and Darryl Dsouza, supported by Ketaki Thanki, Nicole Dsa, Preston, and Roy Pravin. Behind the scenes, the team from Sunset Catchers were responsible for catching the fun times on film and making it pop. Avit Psy Rush took on the roles of DOP and Editor, while Jules Goes handled Cinematography and VFX. The entire project was directed by Arvin Vaz based on an original script provided by Ryan Mark. Hair and makeup were done by Seerath Mystique and Atika, while Naeem Syed handled Ryan Mark’s styling and the arranging of the models.
Check out Hold On Now by Ryan Mark by hitting the play button on the video above. Let us know what you think of the track by starting a conversation in the comments below. You can also follow Ryan Mark on Facebook and Instagram @RyanMarkOfficial.
