Roopam Garg

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Roopam Garg

| image = File:Roopam Garg.jpeg

| birth_name =

| alias = The Surrealist

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|10|17}}

| birth_place = Singapore

| instrument = Guitar

| genre = ambient, experimental, electronic

| occupation = musician, guitarist, composer

| years_active = 2016–present

| associated_acts = Austin Rockman

}}

Roopam Garg (born October 17, 1995) is an American musician, guitarist and composer. He is known for his idiosyncratic work with the guitar and in ambient music, and has recorded and released several singles. Guitar World has described his work as "some of the most compelling orchestral guitar music around today".{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/pete-townshends-wrong-these-10-forward-thinking-players-prove-the-guitar-still-has-plenty-to-offer|title= Pete Townshend's wrong: these 10 forward-thinking players prove the guitar still has plenty to offer|date= October 4, 2019|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

Career

In 2015, Garg enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It was in Berklee where he began his project The Surrealist, initially as an experimental metal project. He released his debut single Self Spiral{{cite web|url=http://www.prog-sphere.com/news/the-surrealist-self-spiral-premiere|title= THE SURREALIST Premiere "Self Spiral" Single; "Naked Awareness" EP Out in September|work= Prog Sphere|date= August 23, 2016|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} leading up to an EP titled "Naked Awareness",{{cite web|url=https://metalinjection.net/reviews/the-surrealist-naked-awareness|title= EP Review: THE SURREALIST Naked Awareness|date= September 17, 2016|publisher=metalinjection.net|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} followed by three singles in 2017 "Origami",{{cite web|url=https://metalinjection.net/video/the-surrealists-music-video-for-new-origami-single-is-blissful-trippy|title= THE SURREALIST'S Music Video For New "Origami" Single Is Blissful & Trippy|date= February 17, 2017|publisher=metalinjection.net|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} "Lux",{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/surrealist-premiere-lux-music-video|title= The Surrealist Premiere "Lux" Music Video|date= May 19, 2017|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} and "Echo End".{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/surrealist-premiere-echo-end-music-video|title= The Surrealist Premiere "Echo End" Music Video|work= guitarworld|date= October 27, 2017|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} He graduated from Berklee in 2018, with a Bachelor of Music degree.{{cite web|url=https://www.berklee.edu/news/berklee-now/alum-notes-spring-2020|title= Alum Notes: Spring 2020|publisher=berklee.edu|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} Garg also received the 2018 Berklee Performance-Division Guitar Scholarship Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BhegpKaFxa_/?igshid=1eo6214femhf4|title= Roopam Garg wins Guitar Award|publisher=instagram.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

In 2018, shortly after graduating, Garg performed at the UK Tech- Fest 2018{{cite web|url=https://www.heavyrepping.com/into-view-roopam-garg-of-the-surrealist|title= UK Tech Fest completes line-up with 20 more bands|date= February 21, 2019|publisher=heavyrepping.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} and Dissonance Festival 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecirclepit.com/2018/04/dissonance-festival-2018|title= Dissonance Festival 2018|publisher=thecirclepit.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} Later that year, he endorsed Kiesel Guitars{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/the-surrealists-roopam-garg-whats-on-my-playlist|title= The Surrealist's Roopam Garg: What's on My Playlist

|date= January 10, 2019

|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} as well as Stone Age Guitar Products.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BhCmX_CgpGH/?igshid=9vn7jkc0xfcz|title= Roopam Garg X Stone Age Guitar Picks|publisher=instagram.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

The year 2019 represented a change in direction for Garg. He left Kiesel Carvin Guitars and formed an endorsement with Abasi Concepts,{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/the-surrealist-wields-two-abasi-larada-8-strings-to-mind-bending-effect-on-the-ethereal-arcadia|title= The Surrealist wields two Abasi Larada 8-strings to mind-bending effect on the ethereal Arcadia|date= February 20, 2020|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} a guitar company initiated by Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders, and shortly after, endorsed Fishman Pickups as well.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B0gcO1sFRMU/?igshid=1dtnv4euarvlg|title=Fishman welcomes Roopam|publisher=instagram.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}} He also shifted his focus from progressive metal-based works, feeling progressive metal to be a "sterile environment" that "seeks perfection", to releasing darker, more ambient-based works, feeling it was "more liberating as a composer", describing ambient music to be a "blank canvas where anything goes".{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/roopam-gargs-hypnotic-sweeping-harmonics-are-like-no-guitar-technique-youve-heard-before|title= Roopam Garg's hypnotic sweeping harmonics are like no guitar technique you've heard before|date= August 13, 2020|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

Influences

Garg credits film scores such as those of Angelo Milli, Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, as a significant influence on his work, stating how "good film scores are able to bring out anxiety, hope or depression within the characters, without which the film would be devoid of human connection".{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-history-of-instrumental-rock|title= The history of instrumental rock|date= July 2, 2020|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

His favored bands and musicians include Animals As Leaders, Meshuggah, Taylor Deupree, Nils Frahm, Jon Hopkins, CUTS, and Mark Pritchard.{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/the-surrealists-roopam-garg-whats-on-my-playlist|title= The Surrealist's Roopam Garg: What's on My Playlist

|date= January 10, 2019

|publisher=guitarworld.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}

Discography

=The Surrealist=

==EPs==

Naked Awareness (2016){{cite web|url=https://thesurrealist.bandcamp.com/album/naked-awareness|title= Naked Awareness – Bandcamp|publisher=bandcamp.com|accessdate=March 28, 2021}}