About
Pineapple Express is a seven-piece progressive-fusion band from Bengaluru, formed in the mid-2010s by keyboardist, vocalist and producer Yogeendra Hariprasad. The band fuses Western modern rock, metal and pop with Indian Carnatic, Hindustani and percussive elements, creating an intricate, genre-hopping sound.
Founded by Yogeendra Hariprasad, a classically trained musician whose gateway to rock was prog veterans Dream Theater, Pineapple Express grew through college festivals and appearances on Music Mojo into one of India's notable prog-fusion acts. Despite line-up changes, they built a steady following across EPs, Uplift (2018), Deja Vu (2019) and Passages (2020, made during lockdown), followed by further work including a 2024 collaboration, establishing themselves as pioneers of Indian progressive fusion.
The artistry
Pineapple Express moves effortlessly between chaotic metal, friendlier rock, Carnatic harmonies and multilingual vocals, building complex, layered compositions from what founder Yogeendra Hariprasad calls the instinctive sonic handshake between prog and Indian classical. With flute, twin guitars, twin vocalists, keys and drums, the septet offers an audio-visual treat that spans progressive metal, jazz, funk and Indian classical.
[Atlas Perspective] Pineapple Express is one of India's most accomplished progressive-fusion bands, prized for virtuosity and ambition. For festivals and events wanting spectacular, boundary-pushing Indian fusion, they are a strong choice.
Pineapple Express has helped pioneer progressive fusion in India, showing how Carnatic and Hindustani classical music can meet prog rock, metal and jazz at a high level of complexity, and expanding the vocabulary of Indian fusion for a new generation.