Does the name Amar ring a bell ? she's been making appearances all around the globe since 1999, from working with famous Algerian singer Khaled to more recently in 2009 with the mighty hit-maker Timberland. Now in 2010, Amar has collaborated with the legendary Sonu Nigam to make a cocky Bollywood track titled "Bombay Billionaire" and it has all the momentum to be a massive hit. Mark our words, you'll be hearing this track everywhere by this summer. Sunday, January 31, 2010
BOMBAY BILLIONAIRE
Does the name Amar ring a bell ? she's been making appearances all around the globe since 1999, from working with famous Algerian singer Khaled to more recently in 2009 with the mighty hit-maker Timberland. Now in 2010, Amar has collaborated with the legendary Sonu Nigam to make a cocky Bollywood track titled "Bombay Billionaire" and it has all the momentum to be a massive hit. Mark our words, you'll be hearing this track everywhere by this summer. 
Surreal Sunday Sunset
Another hectic weekend comes to a halt. Salute! to a surreal ending.FREE DOWNLOAD
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Cloud chasing to some Dirty Dub
Recently,discovered this Swedish artist by the name of “Tafuri” and of course it was the sampling of a faint and dramatically stylized female voice, almost reminiscent of bollywood that drew me in further once the basslines exploded. For a moment this track casted a dark spell forcing me to diverge from my afternoon coffee mission to chase the baddest and uglist cloud on the free-way. Where the cloud settled was impressive for imagery and how I was to get back to town is another adventure.
You catch more of Tafuri on myspace and on his radio show the groove.
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Friday, January 29, 2010
Famous “tryst with destiny” speech
The picture above is of Jawaharlal Nehru making his Famous “tryst with destiny” speech. It was a pivotal moment in twentieth century history. The midnight hour ushered an end to the failed leadership, failed statesmanship and short sightedness of the British Empire.
Fast forward 63 years and India is free but so many women and poor villagers are very far from freedom.
Below is Amal Lads track “Escape” which features samples from Mr. Nehru's famous speech. Though the piece isn't a patriot track yet a reflection of the founding words of a nation and the journey it still has to travel to achieve those words.
The inspiration behind “Escape” is beautiful and once you understand what emotions Amal was trying to achieve you’ll appreciate why Nehru’s speech was sampled.
In 2007 Amal took part in Connect India's Learning Journey trip to Gujarat, India. Whilst on his journey, he was introduced to a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as KMVS, which focused on women's empowerment. There he was told a true story of a woman from an "untouchable caste".
There is great pressure for women from the "untouchable caste" in India to give birth to boys and this particular mother gave birth to 5 daughters consecutively. The baby girls were killed by the in-laws as soon as they were born by a method known as "doodh pitthi", where the baby is dipped in boiling hot milk. The mother had been getting abuse from her husband and his family and was unable to return back to her own village.
One day it got too much for her and she walked to a dry well and flung herself in...However, she was still alive. Her husband dragged her out, with many broken bones, and dumped her at the doorstep of her father in her home village, a shameful rejection and a reminder of her failure as a wife. KMVS has been working with similar cases and communities to improve mentality and education so that women can be treated better.
This story really stuck with him and he tried to imagine what made her want to end her life. He imagined the feeling of maternal satisfaction that she would gain by being re-united with her lost daughters and he imagined her doing her motherly duties with her babies. Amal's track "Escape" is an interpretation of this hopeful feeling of being re-united as well as the sadness of leaving the world behind.
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ESCAPE- Amal Lad
Links
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Miyagi's Mandarin Hotel Mix
In barcelona and inside the new Mandarin Hotel listening to some Sexy Asiatic House by Miyagi.
We will be bringing more from Miyagi ! this scottish producer is far from just a house head, hes got depth and we love him :)
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Ges-E & Nuplos "Tempur"
The musical equivalent of a dandelion growing out of concrete is Ges-e and Nuplos tracks “Tempur”
Its arrival is majestic.
Ges-e who is infamous in the underground asian world for Djing at Talvin Singh’s “Anokha” club nights and spinning Ustad Bismillah Khan records over DnB rhythms has helped transform eastern drum n bass to the life form it is today.
Together with Nuphlo, another heavy hitter, they deliver as a team “Tempur” which is already a classic.
Tempur - Ges-E & Nuplo
Avant Garde Punk Bhajan
Formed in late 2007, Sridhar/Thayil is a lyrical pop duo from New York-Bombay-Hong Kong who concoct a wicked brew of urban grime and sexy groove music. Sridhar/Thayil has a sister project, 'The Flying Wallas: Opera Noir', a two-person contemporary opera production."Sridhar/Thayil are redefining indie music in India." -Rolling Stone, July 2009.
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Links
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Finnish Bhangra
Early this month I was exposed to 2 interesting videos, one of them being on soft power by Shashi Tharoor (Indian Minister of State) and the other an example of soft power at its best.
Soft power works best through popular culture and media. It can inspire others to acculturate. So is the case of this Finnish Band named Shava !
YES, Finnish I know :) the reach of South Asian diaspora is shocking to us all. I realize South Asians have emigrated to nearly every corner of the earth but whenever non-asians embrace elements of South Asian culture, you cant help but smile and want to hug them.
So, here watch “Shava” the worlds only Finnish Bhangra group sing “Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha”
LINKS
SUKH KNIGHT LIVE DUBSTEP MIX
This definitely one of those unforgettable mixes you’ll be adding to your collecton today. This mans name is Sukh Knight, he's a Dub-Step producer from East London and the way he incorporates trumpets to some grimey bass and then delivers his take on the legendary film “KhalNayak” is brilliant.
Links
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Sex Patels
Rewind to July, 2001 and the far right, white-only, British National Front decides to spread a rumor that they will be interrupting the annual ethnic festivals of Bradford by marching down its streets. Word spreads like wild fire and police hold town hall conferences with Asian members of the community advising the cancelation of festivities for security. Animosity and resentment builds and hundreds of Asian youth gather to protest the arrival of the National Front only to be met with riot police whose presence aggravates the crowd into a hostile mob.
Sympathetic British National front members end up taking to the local pubs and when innocent pedestrians of Asian decent pass by they are brutally lynched and sent to the hospital. Then retribution for the fallen brother and the cycle of violence begins.
The end result, victims left bleeding and millions of dollars in damage. The number of convictions handed out was unprecedented in English Legal History with a total of 604 years of jail time handed to 187 people.
Though something amazing happened out these race riots. A band was born !
“The sex patels” is what they are called, making funky iconoclastic music and covering classics...with a spicy, sitar drenched twist.
I hope you enjoy these punk and world music vibes as much as we do.
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Monday, January 25, 2010
Michael Jackson still lives
Michael Jackson was more of a fixed object for me; he would never leave!
Just when you thought Michael was gone, someone completely inspired by him would surface at a south asian wedding and do an MJ impersonation. His presence when I look back is never ending, from the time I could stand on my own two feet, it was Thriller that made me move and then “Black and White” helped in understanding race issues as a first generation Canadian. The Earth song was the theme to our rain forest project in grade school and “You Rock my World” came exactly when women started doing just that.
Today is exactly 7 months since the legendary King of Pop passed away and so many magical tributes keep surfacing.
This is what happens when the suburbs of Ontario, Canada get down to Billie Jean. Superstar DJ A.P.S puts on his star-studded gloves and works the wheels of steel with this great remix.
FREE DOWNLOADScorzayzee from the UK takes his street smart lyrics to the sample of MJ’s “They don't care about us”. Absolutely sick !
Mayur of Bandish Projekt, pays tribute to Michael Jackson with his take on Earth Song. In the west we take for granted how easily we can access MJ's material but in India it used to be a different story, you had to dig. Then Mayur had saved up every penny to get the "HISTORY" album only to have it stolen. This is a tribute from a fan who had to fight to listen to MJ's music.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Electro Giddah
I remember the first time I heard "Dooms Night" remixed by Timo Mass, with those repetitive sonic warping sounds that put me into a state of trance and then BOOM! that funky bass line took ahold of me. I also do really wish there were more producers and remixers who would experiment with panjabi giddahs. What does the future of Giddah Electro look like ? live electro sets with a group of women dancing, clapping and shouting around the dj with their tightly braided hair swinging around wildly. Well have a listen and maybe it will inspire someone out there.This one is for all those old school hipsters and new school ravers :)
Free Download
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sitarfire daydream
A midnight walk down the beach, on a full moon night to David Starfire tune “sitarfire” is the cure to my afternoon spent in a cubicle. I daydream being transported to the beaches of goa with the ocean singing a calming note, giving me the peace equal to 10 yogis meditating. The first 15 secs of “sitarfire” are mystical and the perfect start to the full moon party I will imaginably attend once the bass kicks in. Brass band elements and fire dancers celebrate as the thumping of tens of thousands humans sends me whirling like a sufi dervish.
David Starfires next full moon set, January 30th, Los Angeles, California
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The 3 Children of Bandish Projekt
I think its safe to say how much we love the electronic movement in India. The energy and styling is spellbinding, especially if you've been waiting for something unique to happen in the electronic world. Thats not to say nothing is happening at all but the Indian Electronica Movement is defiantly special. Most notably because the sound they produce is out of this world captivating.
This is the story of Mayur Narvekar, a composer, producer, creative director, Dj, remix artist, performer and a multi-instrumentalist, who calls his Bandish Projekt an emotion, an experience that can awe spectators with its live performance
Mayur uses his roots in classical tabla and percussion training to bring to the music maturity and authenticity while his taste for strange sounds and electronic noises brings in wildness and fervour. The classical element keeps Mayur grounded, while his need for experimenting takes him to heights unsurpassed and for listeners to lands unexplored. It is a journey of life beyond the known.
Now, are you ready for your Awakening ?
These 3 children of Bandish Projekt each have something special to share with you, they are musical journeys that will grow with you over time and each listen will bring something new.
BANDISH PROJEKT "WORLD ODYSESSY MIX"
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BANDISH PROJEKT "LIVE ELECTRO SET"
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BANDISH PROJEKT "LIVE ELECTRO SET"
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BANDISH PROJEKT "CONCORDIA MIXTAPE"
WEB
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Theke Wali Remixed !
Jaz Dhami blew up in the bhangra scene this summer with his single "Theke Wali". Even though he's new on the scene, he's gaining creditability with every release. Now chaiwalla has the remix ! ZOMBIE BHANGRA
Zombie Bhangra is what happens when you take two guys from Lisbon, Portugal known as “ZOMBIES FOR MONEY” and give them some folk bhangra vocal samples. The finished product is exactly what you could expect from the city of Lisbon, a bass heavy club banger that twists folk vocals like you’ve never heard before.
Its like partying with a bunch of punjabi zombies in all its 320kbps GLORY! hoi hoi hoi
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Gods Robots
Gods Robots is a collaboration between San Francisco's Janaka Selekta and Taamara from Mumbai. Together they are fusing reggae, dub-step & electronica with classical Indian and soulful western vocals.STREAM
Jamuna - GODS ROBOTS
GODS ROBOTS INTERVIEW
1) Being based in two different continents how did the Gods Robot project come about?
Surprisingly fast. The time difference makes it possible to work 24 hours (Shri does not sleep so it makes it even easier :)). Instrumentals that I send to Shri (Taamara) at night San Francisco time makes it to Shri in the morning in Mumbai. She will send back vocals by the time I check my mail in the morning. However, we are both looking forward to working on a song while we are both physically in the same space.
2) Taamara you’ve tended to work within the Asian electronica scene in India. What inspired you to work in this field as opposed to the classical industry?
I’ve been learning classical music for quite some time; attending seminars, lectures, concerts etc. It’s a beautiful form but for me these cross cultural collaborations and this coming together of various styles is equally interesting. To see the purity of classical music taking shape in the ideas of musicians from different backgrounds is a process that gives me as much bliss as the process of learning the art form. It’s more learning for me as well since I grew up listening to all kinds of music. So the distinction between forms doesn’t exist for me now.
3) Janaka your currently living in San Francisco where there seems to be an abundance of world fusion artists. How would you compare the scene there to the UK?
I believe the scenes in both parts of the world have gone through a similar arc as people have become familiar with sound. When I stopped putting on 'Dhamaal' and ' WORLDY' shows in San Francisco in 2007, after a 9 year run of monthly events, we were averaging 1400 attendees. For a big city San Francisco is tiny. On that basis alone it is amazing that such a large scene existed. Much like the UK music scene now 'world music' (for lack of a better word) elements have made their way into all genres of music. The newness has gone in both scenes but it has left a deep imprint.
4) Taamara when freestyling with dj’s are your performances completely impromptu or do you have a selection of prepared lyrics which you drop according to the tempo of the music at the time?
It depends upon the artist actually, who I’m playing with. In some cases the jam-sessions are overwhelming and we decide to just keep it open-ended and impromptu. At other times, the structured, perfect and rehearsed act feels and sounds great. It also depends on the venue; you can’t have an impromptu session at all places. My lyrics move according to the plan. During impromptu I drop things once in a while according to the tempo but most of the time it’s something that I have already prepared.
5) Is the collaboration solely a recording project or are there any plans for live performances?
We will be performing together in a number of India's cities in January! The songs have been parted out in Ableton so that I can trigger scenes or individual patterns using the APC40 midi controller. These elements and Taamara's vocals are then dub-able using the APC40. The level of control of each elements makes it very flexible in terms of creating a dynamic live performance. As Mighty Dub Killaz I have been honing these techniques with Papa Roads on the mic for most of 2009.
6) Janaka although there’s a range of genres fused with Indian percussions and melodies, there’s a strong dub reggae element to your music. Are all the fx created on software nowadays or do you still employ the mixing desk when producing dub?
The dubbing mostly comes at the mix stage of the production cycle so most of it is done using software. However, I like the sound of hardware and have a Virus C, KorgX50, MicroKorg, Soundcraft 24 channel desk and various effects units like the Korg Koaspad, they help to define a richer and heavier sound.
7) Are you planning to release any material for this project in the near future?
The way that people consume music has changed so dramatically over the last 5 years. We have an albums worth of material that has been developed with the intention of performing it live. There will be a point at which selling the album will also be a focus but we are intent on getting the word out via our stage show. We do however have a facebook page (press the title to go there) where you can listen to our songs as they get created, literally. Reminds me of the Metalheadz documentary, they talk about songs being completed in the afternoon, pressed onto acetate and played at night. In the digital world it is rendered to audio and upload.
*interview taken from http://sunisshiningdubnchill.blogspot.com*
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/GODSROBOTS
Janaka official site http://www.janakaselekta.net/
Taamara Myspace http://www.myspace.com/taamaraofficialindia
Monday, January 11, 2010
Streets of Mumbai
Punjabi Hip Hop though still in its very infancy stages is going to be exciting to watch over the next decade. Initially pioneered by Pakistani/American rapper “Bohemia” in the early 2000’s, the stylings of the Hip Hop Punjabi lyrics are playful and street smart like its American hip hop cousin.
Now introducing B’Bay Boyz or Bombay de Mundey, who are the first hip hop group out of India. Composed of three members: Sir Manny(music producer), Avi Hans(rapper) and Sadathya Tiger(rapper).
Love their flow
Rangla-Avi Hans
Ayaash Munda-B'bay de mundey (dj chintu remix)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Introducing Bharat Goel
Music has been part of Bharat’s life ever since his very existence. For him, music is a whole lot more than a means of entertainment or leisure. Music, to him is a medium which brings forward and reflects the depths of a creative human mind.
He learnt and played the table for about 6 years and has his Masters in Audio Engineering. Which helps with his crips grooves, punchy basslines, Intricate Synth lines and seductive vocal pressing, with an overall vibe that unique.
and heres is some of his new material, categorized as Experimental Desi R&B, with its soft spoken rhyming layered over some dub step inspired beats
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Waves of Faith
The Chhath Puja is performed to the Sun God for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. Sun, considered the god of energy and the life-force, is worshiped during Chhath for well-being, prosperity and progress.
The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of 4 days. They include the holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (Vratta), Standing in water for long periods of time and offering prashad and aghrya to the setting and rising sun.
Now heres where I was going with the theme of H20
Rishi's track "Salila" which means water has all the elements to help define such a property. Blissful basslines, fluid tabla rhythms and a great sitar arrangement
Salila by rishi
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sita Sings the Blues
Self taught animator Nina Paley gives her personal interpretation of Indian epic the Ramayana.
Its theme is relationships and takes gods incarnated as humans beings, just to show how complex our world is and even the most perfect figures still struggle to make love work.
Most of all this film is part of the Free Culture movement, so you can copy this post and repost it or better yet lets have a screening in your home town
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