Like some sort of bohemian troubadours for the 21st century, Pepper Rabbit, the band formed by Xander Singh and Luc Laurent, has been able to pull from their shared experiences to create something altogether unique and brilliant. Their debut album Beauregard (to be released Oct 26th on Kanine Records) plays like a patchwork quilt woven from their adventures, whether it be featuring the horn section from a Bayou funeral procession or a chord progression borrowed from Southeast Asia.

Introduced by a mutual acquaintance, Laurent initially signed on as drummer for Singh’s solo project. Their first shows together took place in India, where Singh’s parents had relocated. During the trip the two realized a sort of musical chemistry, though upon returning to the states, a sudden change in Singh’s plans, the decision not to attend college, sent him moving around the country looking for a place to settle down. Singh was eventually drawn to New Orleans by a producer/friend to lay down what he still considered to be his solo record. But it wasn’t long before he called on Laurent to record as a drummer. The duo would meet up intermittently in New Orleans to record throughout 2008 and part of 2009.