Sunday Driver

Sunday Driver is a UK-based ensemble that occupies a unique intersection of English folk, Indian classical music, and the steampunk subculture. Formed in 2000, the band's identity is heavily shaped by lead singer Chandrika Nath's background as a scientist and her training under sitarist Baluji Shrivastav.

This academic and technical rigor translates into a sound that is highly structured yet emotionally resonant. Their breakthrough came in 2009 when they bridged the gap between the Cambridge Folk Festival and the UK Steampunk Festival, cementing their role as a premier 'chap-hop' adjacent but musically sophisticated act. Their discography, particularly 'In the City of Dreadful Night', is characterized by the use of sitar, tabla, and woodwinds to tell stories that often touch on Victorian themes, travel, and mythology. Critically, they are praised for avoiding the pitfalls of 'world music' clichés, instead creating a genuine fusion where the sitar is as fundamental to the folk structure as the guitar. They remain a staple of the UK alternative folk scene, known for their theatrical live performances and intellectual songwriting.