Remix for Babani SoundSystem

Honored to have been asked by the amazing Babani Soundsystem to do a remix! It was my first remix ever, and it was picked up by Pan African Music as well!

https://youtu.be/7g3UGVZrQFI

Based in Mauritius, the band champions its sega heritage — traditional Indian Ocean rhythm — by mixing in electronic influences that have inspired international producers such as Sunken Cages, a New Yorker of Indian origin who couldn’t resist this organic blend.

The Babani Soundsystem collective offers a unique interpretation of its island culture. Between traditional sega rhythms and electronic influences, the group, signed to the Babani Records label, is composed of DJs, musicians and producers, and has become a major reference point in the Mauritian and Reunionese electronic scene. To reflect the ethnic mix of local culture, the Mauritian group composes a sound with multiple origins. Their Creole title “Zistwar Fer Per” evokes the legends of the archipelago that are used to scare children and to ensure their learning. The stories consist of mysterious nocturnal creatures answering the call of  traditional percussion. As the kids grow, the fear dissipates and turns into a call to party! These spirit ceremonies are simply enchanting, even on stage, where the group accompanies its productions with impressive audiovisual performances. It is undeniable that Avneesh, Ayef, Gary Mach and Woréka have re-assigned value to music of the Indian Ocean.  

TJIW Releases New Album on FPE Records!

So excited for the release of “Our Reflection Adorned by Newly Formed Stars”! Val Jeanty contributed some spiritual electronic elements, and I ended up mixing and producing the tracks as well. It’s a bold new direction, a far more electronic one, for us!

2020 New Music USA Project Grant Award

TurningJewelsIntoWater was awarded a 2020 New Music USA grant (New Music USA) Getting emotional here..I’ve never been part of a community, never been Avant enough, Indian enough, Jazz enough, Experimental enough, Electronic enough, to fit anywhere, and yet I’ve not given up on New York City over the past 17 years..

And now, to have offers from Pioneer Works, Harlem Stage & Roulette to put on this interdisciplinary performance in the Fall, has been mind-blowing ?
–This extended project involves collaboration with a flex dancer, modern dancer, and a video projection artist–
** visual sample: https://youtu.be/TAKwMvOgri0

These things I have come to realize…
*NYC has become increasingly musically conservative and segregated, and is not the center of the musical world.
*The musical future is not male (belongs to all other genders) and my time is limited- and I will pay it forward as best I can.
* The definitions of “experimental music” need to be changed, to reflect the beat-based innovations of people of color from across the globe
*Meaningful change can only come to the scene if the musical ruling-class is replaced by working-class people-of-color and black curators/owners representative of the artists themselves

[deep gratitude to Val Jeanty, Art Jones, Ranubi and Ivvy for being a part of this journey]

May Day 2020 @ Bandcamp

To start, Bandcamp waived its fees on May 1st, and my record label, On The Corner, in turn, kicked back 100% of the sales to the artists..

Well ahead of my summer debut, I collaborated with Iranian vocalist/instrumentalist, Kamyar Arsani to make a hybrid electronic track that draws on Persian percussion as much as it does on deep global bass.

Solo Project- Summer 2020

Keeping up momentum, prepping for staggered releases of singles, remixes, compilation, and a video premier leading up to my solo electronic project *Sunken Cages’ * debut EP late summer

follow On the Corner for updates 
Inspirations ranging from DJ Lag to Andy Stott to Tzusing to Music of the Siddis..

Label’s 2020 line-up features artists from Zanzibar, South Africa, Peru, UK, US, Morocco and beyond..
Siti Muharam, Collocutor, Asher Gamedze, Uffe, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Sunken Cages, Mosam, Battagon Battagon, Penya ft Msafiri Zawose, Guedra Guedra

New Solo Project: Sunken Cages

Very excited to share the news that I’ll be releasing my debut as an electronic music producer with On The Corner Records (UK) this summer (exact street date to be confirmed)

It’s my hybrid electronic/live set up inspired by South African G’com, Kuduro, Music of the Siddis (East Africans In India), Sufi Chants, and beyond..

Earshot Festival Performance (excerpt)

“Finding that space between Congolese electronic artist/DJ Nkisi and live Ugandan electronic act Nihiloxica, while drawing on Haitian and Indian folk rhythms, they put on a mesmerizing performance, creating dense arrangements and layered loops from scratch. Val had already been at Earshot, blowing minds with Kris Davis +Terri Lynn Carrington the previous week, so this was an added treat”- (FACT Mag) 

October US Mini-Tour

Undertaking a min-tour that will take us coast to coast in the US.
We’re going to perform at the following venues:
Oct 10: Space Gallery, Portland ME
(Curated by Nat Baldwin of Dirty Projectors, the Fall line-up includes genre-blurring artists like Moor Mother and Laraaji)
Oct 11: Terrace Club, Princeton University, Princeton NJ
(the legendary space at Princeton U has been putting on shows since 1984 and some amazing bands have played here. Honored to join the ranks!)
Oct 12: Town Hall, Earshot Jazz Festival, Seattle WA
(eclectic line-up includes lots of non-Jazz artists such as Tinariwen and Dakha Brakha)