Artcell’s long-waited 3rd album 'Otritio' brings joy to the fans

Nahian Ahmed, an Artcell fan, shared, "I have grown up listening to Artcell’s songs. The song 'Gontobbohin' always got me thinking about where I am and where I am going. ‘Pathor Bagan’ took me to my graveyard, and the song ‘Leen’ was my companion when I was lonely." 

"I have been waiting for Artcell’s third album for so long that at one point," Nahian continued about the band's long hiatus, "I was angry with Artcell. But when this masterpiece came out, I immediately bought the album on the ‘Gaan’ app, and I had goosebumps. Thank you, Artcell.”

Like Nahian, numerous fans had waited for Artcell’s third album for over a decade. And Artcell kept their word by releasing the album ‘Otritio’ after 17 years of their last album, 'Oniket Prantor,' exclusively on the ‘Gaan’ app. The album will celebrate its global release on 9th March. And fans are already indulging themselves by listening to the songs ‘Otritio’, ‘Baksho Bondi’, ‘Smritir Ayana’ and the whole album. 

Kazi Asheqeen Shaju, Artcell’s founder member and drummer, is very happy with the response they are already getting from the fans. 

"The fans know they will get to listen to the album free on 9th March, but they are buying it in the Gaan app and already listening. This means so much to us." 

Buying songs and legally listening to the bands should be how a listener communicates spiritually with the band. 

"We have worked for thousands of hours on this album for so many years, and we are happy to give our music to the listeners," Shaju added.

George Lincoln D’Costa, the founding member and the band's vocalist, thanked the listeners and fans for waiting so long for the album. 

"We know there was a long delay, and we had to deal with many difficult situations. But we are happy to release the album finally." Iqbal Asif Jewel, a veteran guitarist, produced this album. 

"Jewel vai had been helping us from the beginning. He is like a brother and a mentor to us, and we would like to thank him. He will be with us in this new journey of ours," Lincoln added. 

The good news for fans is that Iqbal Asif Jewel will play live with Artcell in the coming days. He played a vital role in the album as a guitarist along with the new member Kazi Faisal Ahmed who is also known for his talents as a guitarist. 

Due to some problems, Artcell changed its lineup, and Kazi Faisal joined the band. And during this period, Artcell faced difficulties. They eventually rose and looked forward to creating and performing for the fans. 

Piracy was a big issue in the Bangladeshi music industry, and after the surge of platforms like YouTube, artists have been releasing singles on YouTube. 

In this regard, Shaju said, "We released singles too. But our discography is important to us, and rather than going with singles, we wanted to go with an album which will paint a whole picture in the audience’s mind." 

Artcell’s third album indeed painted a picture in the audience’s mind, but the meaning or the interpretation should be for the listeners to interpret. 

Lincoln reminded the hard times of Covid. There were no shows, and musicians had been struggling. But fans supported them throughout those hard times, and he thanked the fans for that. He emphasised the importance of legally listening to music and supporting the band by buying the music. 

"I thank fans for the support they have shown for us and we would like to inspire them to support other bands too. There are bands in Bangladesh whom we grew up listening to and I believe we can take our music to global platforms together," he remarked. 

"Bangladesh is doing well in sports, and our cricketers are doing well globally. We are getting known for our sports, so why not music? We can represent Bangladesh on global platforms." 

Shaju hinted at a possible album tour with shows inside and outside the country. 
Artcell released the album with an exclusive limited-edition box set with goodies. Fans can buy the box set by contacting Artcell on Facebook. 

Merchandise is an important element that keeps a band running. And Artcell is very much concerned about the authenticity of its merchandise. Fake or counterfeit merchandises are harmful to any band and the industry as a whole. 

"We will make sure that our fans know the merchandises they are buying are real; we will put holographic stickers on our merchandise," Shaju said. 

Lincoln added, "If anyone wants to create or distribute merchandise, they should contact us rather than create fake ones. Doing it professionally will help the band.”

Cezanne, the bassist of Artcell, will continue to play with the band despite the rumours. He actively participated with the band in all the decision-making and production of this whole album. He has been a vital member of Artcell from its foundation. And Iqbal Asif Jewel and Kazi Faisal will also play with the band in the coming future. 

As Artcell released their promised third album for the fans, they hope that the fans will support them by buying the music and merchandise and joining the live shows. 
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