Mumbai prog rock band Paradigm Shift live at Segue India at Antisocial, Mumbai in January 2025. Photo: Yash Jagtap
Mumbai prog-fusion act Paradigm Shift have provided an update on their upcoming third album Raqeeb, along with a change in personnel. Drummer Pushkar Joshi — currently behind the kit for rock veterans Indus Creed — will replace longtime sticksman Aamir Ismail.
The band performed with Joshi as the official drummer at the inaugural edition of gig series Segue at Antisocial in Mumbai in January 2025. The incoming and outgoing both shared statements about the lineup change, comparing it to shifting from Neptune to Earth. Ismail says in his statement, “I am grateful that I was on Earth with these guys and we wrote all these stories together. Our third story book will be out soon and it will be a space rock album. Musically educated people will get the book for free. I am gonna see you guys soon and I promise to visit you all time to time. Till then, I’m sure our stories will keep us connected!”
Joshi, who has served as drummer for doom/death metal Primitiv, adds that he’s been friends with Paradigm Shift for over a decade. “I’ve been fortunate to be around them during their formative years and songwriting journey. More so now, to be performing live and writing music with them, hereon. Excited for the times ahead,” he says.
Pushkar Joshi live with Paradigm Shift at gig series Segue in Mumbai in January 2025. Photo: Yash Jagtap
Paradigm Shift say in a collective statement that work has never really stopped on new music, with Raqeeb being the follow-up to their 2018 album Sammukh taking more concrete shape this year. The statement says, “We as a band have always believed that the music should keep happening come what may. We believe that the stories and sounds we want people to hear should keep happening as long as it can.”
The band adds that they’re excited for people to hear the new material they’ve written in the past year. “The third album is going to be called Raqeeb and if Sammukh as a concept was a prequel to [2012 debut album] Coalescence then Raqeeb is the sequel to Coalescence. Despite continuing the narrative we do want to sound fresh yet familiar. We hope we have done that. We will be planning production and recordings and have more updates in this coming year,” Paradigm Shift says in a collective statement.
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