Bab L’ Bluz release new album ‘Swaken’
Swaken features 11 tracks that spark and pulse with kinetic, pedal-to-the-metal energy.
Fri, 10 May 24
State of Bengal Vs Paban Das Baul
Saifullah 'Sam' Zaman, the east London DJ and producer who records as State Of Bengal, was first introduced to Paban Das Baul when he attended a tribute to the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan at the Royal Festival Hall, shortly after the qawwali legend's death in 1997.
Zaman had been attracted to the music of the Bauls ever since coming across a vinyl LP by an elderly singer called Burna Das Baul, who possesses a heavy, screaming, untamed punky voice. He’d also been impressed by the first track on Paban’s Real World album with Sam Mills (the guitarist from worldly punk-funk outfit 23 Skidoo), entitled Real Sugar, often spinning it when out playing DJ sets.
Paban Das Baul was born in 1961 in the village of Mohammedpur in the district of Murshidabad in West Bengal, India – land of a population incarnating the spirit of syncretism between Tantric, Vaishnava, Muslim and Buddhist traditions through music, dance and song. He is well known for the inspired lyrical beauty of his songs and his genius in improvisation on the dubki (a small tambourine), which gives him the power to create trance-like states in his listeners.
Releases
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Tana Tani
State of Bengal Vs Paban Das Baul
Tana Tani plunges Paban into the dub-heavy melee of the British Asian breakbeat scene, where his ecstatic, smoky vocals soar over juddering beats and squelchy basslines, and his urgent and hypnotic rhythms mutate into frenetic drum 'n' bass breaks.
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Star Rise
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook
From the Asian Underground, the new stars emerge to interpret the greatest singer of Qawwali music. This album features a series of remixes of songs which originally appeared on Nusrat and Michael Brook’s albums Mustt Mustt and Night Song.
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Real Sugar
Paban Das Baul & Sam Mills
Gorgeous melodies, the coolest contemporary arrangements - from sensual Bengali ballads to London drum and bass. Real Sugar is the result of a collaboration which began in 1988 on the veranda of Paban’s house in Calcutta. Londoner Sam Mills applied modern pop sensibilities to the rich music of the Bauls of Bengal.
Further reading
The Zawose Queens from Tanzanian musical dynasty announce debut album Maisha
The Zawose Queens, Pendo and Leah, are the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Dr. Hukwe Zawose.
Wed, 20 March 24
‘I’m really moved by people’s response to it’ – John Metcalfe discusses the album Tree
John Metcalfe releases three new remixes of tracks from his album 'Tree' and brings a special perfor...
Wed, 24 July 24
Track of the day: ‘Too Many Have Gone’ by The Breath
The Breath reveal their first new music since the release of their third album, Land of My Other. A...
Fri, 19 July 24