There is a certain playful quality that Lionel D'Mello aka Dark Circle Factory's music has, where a somewhat grim note suddenly gives way to one that is like the sun bursting through a sea of dark clouds. It's in fact in the very nature of jazz music to keep listeners on their toes, and that's what D'Mello does with Live Vol 2, an album launched just before the lockdown began. He enlisted the services of Harshit Misra aka Hash Bass for it, whose guitar provides a cushion for the melodies while Bharat Kumar's piano adds ornate musical embellishments. D'Mello himself acts as the sonic backbone with shimmering drum beats, and he tells us that this offering is a follow-up to Live Vol 1, which he had released in 2019.

All the songs were recorded live at Delhi's The Piano Man Jazz Club, with a smattering of electronic elements giving it a modern feel. You thus get the best of both worlds, with the visceral qualities of live instruments sharing space with electronica inputs. It's apt for solitary listening now. But when things crawl back to normalcy, you can also play the album when you get together with your friends, since its playful qualities are equally suited for a lively gathering.