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`Underground' music
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Aki Nawaz, U.K.-based Indian, redefines the sound of Asian Underground music
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He is the Sultan of Asian Underground music. Besides being a passionate, crazy musician himself, Aki Nawaz has founded a U.K.-based music label called Nation Records in 1988, with the aim of promoting the U.K. Asian music and creating fusion between different musical forms for a young audience. Nation Records has been instrumental in giving chart-topping artistes like Swami, T.J. Rehmi, and Asian Dub Foundation, their first breaks. This is how it works. If you have a couple of Asian crossover songs you wish to release, you go to him, he listens to your songs, and if he is pleased, your songs find a place in his next compilation, and if you have created an entire album, he releases the album for you, almost free of cost.
All about dance
So, how does one define Asian Underground music? It is essentially hardcore dance music, with strong influences of raw, energetic, and earthy music from the Indian subcontinent. Reaching unimaginable energy levels with crazy BPM (Beats Per Minute) levels, the music may not appeal to everyone at the first listening, but eventually grows on you. What differentiates it from other genres of underground music is the fact that it incorporates vocal samples of traditional folk music, like Bhangra or Qawwali.
Nation Records' recent album titled, God Save The Queen; Here Come The Dholaks (Sony BMG; CD; Rs. 299) is an ideal compilation if you need a taste of authentic dance music of this genre. Ten of Aki's favourite tracks, including Mehbooba by Swami and Rebel Warrior by Asian Dub Foundation, find place in the compilation along with the Punjabi chart-topper Valayt Khanu Ar Gaya, a track that begins on a slow note but steadily increases in tempo before hitting through the roof towards the end. Other artistes featured on the album (which has a somewhat tasteless inlay cover showing Queen Elizabeth doing the Bhangra!) range from Fun-Da-Mental, Aki's own band, to a band called JOI that has strong retro Bollywood influences in its music.
This is just a taste of what dance music is going to sound like, in the days to come.
A. VISHNU
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