Asian Underground
Encyclopedia
Asian Underground is a term associated with various British Asian
musicians (mostly India
n, Pakistan
i, Bangladesh
i and Sri Lanka
n) who blend elements of western underground dance music and the traditional Asian music of their home countries in South Asia
. The first well-known mention was the compilation album
Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground released in 1997
and masterminded by Talvin Singh
& Sweety Kapoor
. It is not a strict musical genre per se, since the specific sounds can vary wildly (from Cornershop
s' Britpop
to Panjabi MC
s' jungle
). Most of these artists are the children or grandchildren of immigrants and have grown up in Western culture, but still have a strong Asian background through their families.
s, Asian Underground was considered hip
and broke through to the mainstream, with artists such as Apache Indian and Cornershop
frequently entering the UK charts, with the former's "Boom Shack-A-Lak
" (1993) appearing in many popular movies and the latter topping the charts with "Brimful of Asha
" in 1998. The genre and other forms of South Asian music began to influence Europe's pop mainstream as acts like Björk
, Bananarama
, Erasure
, and Siouxsie and the Banshees all released singles or remixes featuring South Asian instrumentation. Subsequently, Talvin Singh
won a Mercury Music Prize for his album OK in 1999
.
Asian Underground music initially had only little influence on popular Indian music
on the sub-continent, where it is usually filed under world music
. While several Asian underground artists such as Apache Indian, Trickbaby and Bally Sagoo
gained fame in India, it was only after Panjabi MC
's international hit "Mundian To Bach Ke
" that British-Asian underground music could compete with domestic Indian artists like Shankar Mahadevan
and Remo Fernandes
. It was followed by the globally successful Rishi Rich Project, consisting of producer Rishi Rich
and artists Jay Sean, Juggy D
and Veronica Mehta
. They were one of the first groups to fuse Bhangra music with contemporary R&B
and found tremendous success in India after their songs were featured in mainstream Bollywood
soundtracks such as Boom
, Kya Kool Hai Hum and Hum Tum
. Since then, Asian underground music has exterted some influence on mainstream Indian pop
music.
Asian underground music has also influenced mainstream American hip hop
, R&B and urban music
in the 2000s, including artists such as Timbaland
, Truth Hurts
, Jay-Z
, Snoop Dogg
, Missy Elliott
and Britney Spears
. According to DJ Green Lantern
, "Indian beats have now become a fixture on the R&B scene". Music produced by the Asian Dub Foundation
has also been featured on the soundtracks for popular video games such as Need For Speed Underground. Several former Asian Underground artists such as M.I.A.
and Jay Sean have gone on to achieve mainstream success in the North American music industry, where they produced mainstream songs such as "Paper Planes
" and "Down
" that have charted highly on (and in the latter case, topped) the Billboard Hot 100
.
and tabla
, and almost all artists use an electronic or acoustic drum kit
and/or synthesizer
. Some groups like Tabla Beat Science
use an electric bass
. Various other instruments, including the dholak
, sarangi
, and bansuri
are also sometimes used. The human Vocal, female or male can be found as an instrument of emotional expression on many Asian Underground recordings.
British Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
musicians (mostly India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n) who blend elements of western underground dance music and the traditional Asian music of their home countries in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. The first well-known mention was the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground released in 1997
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
and masterminded by Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
& Sweety Kapoor
Sweety Kapoor
Sweety Kapoor was one of the people behind the legendary Anokha music night, hosted by Mercury Music Prize-winning artist Talvin Singh, that gave rise to what became known as 'The Asian Underground' movement, at London's Blue Note venue....
. It is not a strict musical genre per se, since the specific sounds can vary wildly (from Cornershop
Cornershop
Cornershop are a British indie rock band formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh , his brother Avtar Singh , David Chambers and Ben Ayres , the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single in 1991...
s' Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
to Panjabi MC
Panjabi MC
Rajinder Singh Rai , better known by his stage name Panjabi MC is a British Indian musician.-Career:...
s' jungle
Oldschool jungle
Jungle is a genre of electronic music that incorporates influences from genres including breakbeat hardcore, and reggae/dub/dancehall. There is debate as to whether jungle is a separate genre from drum and bass as many use the terms interchangeably...
). Most of these artists are the children or grandchildren of immigrants and have grown up in Western culture, but still have a strong Asian background through their families.
History
In the 19901990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
s, Asian Underground was considered hip
Hip (slang)
Hip is a slang term meaning fashionably current and in the know. Hip is the opposite of square or prude.Hip, like cool, does not refer to one specific quality. What is considered hip is continuously changing. The term hip is said to have originated in African American Vernacular English in the...
and broke through to the mainstream, with artists such as Apache Indian and Cornershop
Cornershop
Cornershop are a British indie rock band formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh , his brother Avtar Singh , David Chambers and Ben Ayres , the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single in 1991...
frequently entering the UK charts, with the former's "Boom Shack-A-Lak
Boom Shack-A-Lak
"Boom Shack-A-Lak" is a song by Apache Indian, released as a single in 1993. The song was included on Apache Indian's 'Nuff Vibes' EP. which is his biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 5 in the charts in 1993....
" (1993) appearing in many popular movies and the latter topping the charts with "Brimful of Asha
Brimful of Asha
"Brimful of Asha" is a 1997 single by the British alternative rock band Cornershop, which originally reached number 60 in the UK Singles Chart in 1997...
" in 1998. The genre and other forms of South Asian music began to influence Europe's pop mainstream as acts like Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
, Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
, and Siouxsie and the Banshees all released singles or remixes featuring South Asian instrumentation. Subsequently, Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
won a Mercury Music Prize for his album OK in 1999
1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
.
Asian Underground music initially had only little influence on popular Indian music
Indian pop
Indian pop music , often known as Indian-Pop, Hindi Pop, Indipop or Indi-pop, refers to pop music in India. Pop music really started in the South Asian region with the famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi's song ‘Ko-Ko-Korina’ in 1966...
on the sub-continent, where it is usually filed under world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
. While several Asian underground artists such as Apache Indian, Trickbaby and Bally Sagoo
Bally Sagoo
Bally Sagoo is a British Asian musician and DJ who was born in Ranjit Nagar, Delhi, India, but grew up in Birmingham, England, in a predominantly black neighbourhood, influenced by disco, rap and Motown music. In an interview "Re-mixing Identities: "Off" The Turn-Table," Bally said:"Indian music...
gained fame in India, it was only after Panjabi MC
Panjabi MC
Rajinder Singh Rai , better known by his stage name Panjabi MC is a British Indian musician.-Career:...
's international hit "Mundian To Bach Ke
Mundian To Bach Ke
"Mundian To Bach Ke" , also titled "Beware of the Boys ", is a bhangra song performed by Punjabi artist Labh Janjua and remixed by Panjabi MC in 2002...
" that British-Asian underground music could compete with domestic Indian artists like Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:...
and Remo Fernandes
Remo Fernandes
Luís Remo de Maria Bernardo Fernandes, more popularly known as Remo Fernandes is a pop/rock/Indian fusion artist and playback singer from the state of Goa, India. His musical work is a fusion of many different cultures and styles he's been exposed to as a child in Goa and in his later travels...
. It was followed by the globally successful Rishi Rich Project, consisting of producer Rishi Rich
Rishi Rich
Rishpal Singh Rekhi better known by his stage name Rishi Rich is a British Indian music producer born in Croydon, England and based in London...
and artists Jay Sean, Juggy D
Juggy D
Jagwinder Singh Dhaliwal, better known by his stage name, Juggy D, is a British Indian singer from Southall, London, England.-Music:...
and Veronica Mehta
Veronica Mehta
Veronica is an Indian R&B singer based in London, UK, who sings in Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi.-Biography:Aged 16, Mehta successfully auditioned for the part of female vocalist for the 2Kool album 2Kool Flavor...
. They were one of the first groups to fuse Bhangra music with contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and found tremendous success in India after their songs were featured in mainstream Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
soundtracks such as Boom
Boom (2003 film)
Boom is a Bollywood film that was released on 19 September 2003. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Padma Lakshmi, Madhu Sapre, Katrina Kaif and Zeenat Aman. The film is directed by Kaizad Gustad and produced by Jackie Shroff's wife, Ayesha Shroff...
, Kya Kool Hai Hum and Hum Tum
Hum Tum
Hum Tum is a Bollywood movie, released in India on 28 May 2004, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra. The movie stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles....
. Since then, Asian underground music has exterted some influence on mainstream Indian pop
Indian pop
Indian pop music , often known as Indian-Pop, Hindi Pop, Indipop or Indi-pop, refers to pop music in India. Pop music really started in the South Asian region with the famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi's song ‘Ko-Ko-Korina’ in 1966...
music.
Asian underground music has also influenced mainstream American hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, R&B and urban music
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
in the 2000s, including artists such as Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
, Truth Hurts
Truth Hurts
Share Watson , known as Truth Hurts, is an American Contemporary R&B singer-songwriter.-Albums:-Singles:* 2002: "Addictive" Share Watson (born October 10, 1971, St. Louis, Missouri), known as Truth Hurts, is an American Contemporary R&B singer-songwriter.-Albums:-Singles:* 2002: "Addictive"...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
and Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
. According to DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern
James D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
, "Indian beats have now become a fixture on the R&B scene". Music produced by the Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
has also been featured on the soundtracks for popular video games such as Need For Speed Underground. Several former Asian Underground artists such as M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
and Jay Sean have gone on to achieve mainstream success in the North American music industry, where they produced mainstream songs such as "Paper Planes
Paper Planes
"Paper Planes" is a song recorded by musician M.I.A. for her second studio album Kala released in 2007. The song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer and produced by Diplo with additional production by Switch...
" and "Down
Down (song)
"Down" is a song by the band 311. It is the first song on their third album, 311. It was their first #1 single on the Billboard Alternative Songs charts, and along with their self-titled album, was largely responsible for launching them into main-stream success. An accompanying video for the song...
" that have charted highly on (and in the latter case, topped) the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Primary instruments
Asian Underground uses many traditional and relatively new instruments. Its primary ones are sitarSitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
and tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, and almost all artists use an electronic or acoustic drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and/or synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. Some groups like Tabla Beat Science
Tabla Beat Science
Tabla Beat Science is a musical group founded in 1999 by Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell. Its style consists of a mixture of Hindustani music, Asian Underground, ambient music, drum and bass and electronica. Laswell met with Karsh Kale , and they later teamed up with Talvin Singh and Trilok Gurtu...
use an electric bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Various other instruments, including the dholak
Dholak
The Dholak is a North Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese double-headed hand-drum Madal. The name dholki may also refer to a slightly different instrument that uses high-pitch tabla style syahi masala on its treble skin. This instrument is also known as Naal or Dholki....
, sarangi
Sarangi
The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...
, and bansuri
Bansuri
The bansuri is a transverse alto flute of Bangladesh, India and Nepal made from a single hollow shaft of bamboo with six or seven finger holes. An ancient musical instrument associated with cowherds and the pastoral tradition, it is intimately linked to the love story of Krishna and Radha, and is...
are also sometimes used. The human Vocal, female or male can be found as an instrument of emotional expression on many Asian Underground recordings.
Notable artists
- State of BengalState of Bengal (artist)Sam Zaman , recording as State of Bengal, is a British DJ and Music producer associated with the UK and Asian Underground movement.-Biography:...
- BidduBidduBiddu or Biddu Appaiah is an Indian-British music producer, composer, song-writer and singer who produced and composed many hit records worldwide during a career spanning five decades...
- Osmani Soundz Aka The Nasha Experience(Uk)
- Ges-E Aka The Nasha Experience(Uk)
- Nitin SawhneyNitin SawhneyNitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
- Talvin SinghTalvin SinghTalvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
- Joi
- Tj Rehmi
- Karsh KaleKarsh KaleKarsh Kale is an Indian American musician, producer and composer, and is considered one of the pioneering figures in defining the Asian Underground genre by mixing disparate genres of music such as Indian classical and folk with electronica, rock, pop and ambient music...
(USA) - Bandish Projekt
- Alok Verma
- Asian Dub FoundationAsian Dub FoundationAsian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
- Badmarsh & ShriBadmarsh & ShriBadmarsh & Shri are an electronic/trip hop duo from London, UK.- Formation :Prior to their formation, Badmarsh worked at the reggae studio Easy Street; which was hiring PA equipment to a nightclub called Labyrinth...
- SuphalaSuphalaSuphala is a tabla artist, composer, and producer. She is a protégé of tabla players Ustad Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain and is based in New York City.-Background:...
- Earthtribe
- Niraj ChagNiraj ChagNiraj Chag is a London-based musical artist and composer. His musical style mixes Indian classical influences with contemporary stylings and layered, complex beats. Niraj's tracks were initially released on the Outcaste record label...
- Panjabi MCPanjabi MCRajinder Singh Rai , better known by his stage name Panjabi MC is a British Indian musician.-Career:...
- Bally SagooBally SagooBally Sagoo is a British Asian musician and DJ who was born in Ranjit Nagar, Delhi, India, but grew up in Birmingham, England, in a predominantly black neighbourhood, influenced by disco, rap and Motown music. In an interview "Re-mixing Identities: "Off" The Turn-Table," Bally said:"Indian music...
- Rishi Rich Project
- Rishi RichRishi RichRishpal Singh Rekhi better known by his stage name Rishi Rich is a British Indian music producer born in Croydon, England and based in London...
- Jay Sean
- Juggy DJuggy DJagwinder Singh Dhaliwal, better known by his stage name, Juggy D, is a British Indian singer from Southall, London, England.-Music:...
- Veronica MehtaVeronica MehtaVeronica is an Indian R&B singer based in London, UK, who sings in Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi.-Biography:Aged 16, Mehta successfully auditioned for the part of female vocalist for the 2Kool album 2Kool Flavor...
- Rishi Rich
- Cheb i SabbahCheb i SabbahCheb i Sabbah , born Haim Serge El Baz in Constantine, Algeria, is a club DJ based in San Francisco, California....
(USA) - Dhol FoundationDhol FoundationThe Dhol Foundation is both a dhol drum institute in London and a musical group playing bhangra music. The dhol school was founded in 1989 by former Alaap member Johnny Kalsi when several musicians asked him to be their teacher, and a first album was released by Kalsi and his students in 2001...
- Fun-Da-MentalFun-Da-MentalFun-Da-Mental is a British-based multi-ethnic hip-hop–ethno-techno–world fusion music group formed in 1991. The group is notable for its energetic fusion of Eastern and Western musical forms, for its outspoken political stance, and for its strong Islamic affiliation and advocacy. Fun-Da-Mental's...
- Juttla
- Loop GuruLoop GuruLoop Guru is a worldbeat group consisting of bassist/guitarist Salman Gita and programmer Jamuud . They first met around 1980 and initially played together in The Transmitters and released their debut single as Loop Guru, Shrine, in 1992...
- Bobby FrictionBobby FrictionParamdeep Singh Sehdev , better known as Bobby Friction, is a DJ, television presenter and radio presenter from west London.He studied Contemporary Arts at The Nottingham Trent University....
- Mahisha (CH)
- Mission on Mars (USA)
- MuslimgauzeMuslimgauzeMuslimgauze was a music project of Bryn Jones , a prolific British ethnic electronica and experimental musician, influenced by conflicts in the Muslim world with an emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
- RDB (Rhythm Dhol Bass)RDB (Rhythm Dhol Bass)RDB are a Punjabi DJ production team consisting of three individuals, Kuly, Manj and Surj, who blend western genres with traditional Punjabi beats and vocals...
- Suzana AnsarSuzana AnsarSuzana Ansar is a British Bengali singer and actress.-Background:Ansar was born in Whipps Cross University Hospital, Leyton, East London, United Kingdom to British Bengali ex pat parents, UK community activist Syeda S Karim, and chartered accountant/businessman Mohamed Ansar Uddin...
- Gurdeep SamraGurdeep SamraGurdeep Samra is a British Asian music producer and DJ hailing from Bicester, England, UK. As a producer, he has a notable presence within the world music community. He is often labelled as a producer of bhangra music.-Biography:...
- Akshai SarinAkshai SarinAkshai Sarin is an Indian composer, producer, performer, and DJ. He has expanded his participation in music to starting a record label Rebirth and 360 degree music management through his AXYZ Music International group of companies. An Indian citizen, he has also lived in the Philippines, United...
- Tabla Beat ScienceTabla Beat ScienceTabla Beat Science is a musical group founded in 1999 by Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell. Its style consists of a mixture of Hindustani music, Asian Underground, ambient music, drum and bass and electronica. Laswell met with Karsh Kale , and they later teamed up with Talvin Singh and Trilok Gurtu...
- Anuj RastogiAnuj RastogiAnuj Rastogi is a Toronto, Canada based music composer, producer, musician, spoken-word artist, writer and live event producer. He is an active collaborator, and founder of independent music label, Omnesia Records.- Bio :...
- TazTaz (singer)Tarsame Singh Saini aka Taz born 23 May 1967, Coventry, West Midlands, United Kingdom), is a British singer, composer and actor of Indian descent. He is the lead singer of the pop band Stereo Nation which was formed in 1996...
(Stereo Nation) - Transglobal UndergroundTransglobal undergroundTransglobal Underground is a London-based music collective who specialise in a fusion of western, oriental and African music styles...
- Trickbaby
- Trilok Gurtu
- hfiiz_Deshi MC
- Abdul Smooth
Notable Labels
- Nasha RecordsNasha RecordsNasha Records is a UK based Eastern Drum n Breaks Label home to Eastern influenced dance music.They have released two compilation albums - Eastern Drum and Breaks Vol 1 and 2 and have run monthly club nights at Herbal called Nasha Eastern Drum and Breaks and at Gramaphone called Nasha Live...
- Betelnut Records
- Easterpressure Records
- Nation RecordsNation RecordsNation Records is a record label set up by Kath Canoville and Aki Nawaz in 1988.-History:The label was set up after major labels declined to release their fusion of world music and dance music, an album called Fuse...
- Axiom RecordsAxiom (record label)Axiom was a record label founded by musician Bill Laswell in 1989, with the support of Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. Axiom was an independent subdivision of Blackwell's Island Records, with Laswell being afforded a budget for a certain number of albums each year, basically of his own...
- High Chai Recordings
- Sitarfunk
- Outcaste Records
- Hafiiz Media Productions LTd
- Shiva SoundsystemShiva SoundsystemShiva Soundsystem is a collective, record label and event host based in east London. Shiva Soundsystem grew out of the Asian Underground scene in London and went on to become more associated with other styles including Drum & Bass and Electronica....
- Indian Electronica Records
Notable Compilations
- Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground
- Nasha RecordsNasha RecordsNasha Records is a UK based Eastern Drum n Breaks Label home to Eastern influenced dance music.They have released two compilation albums - Eastern Drum and Breaks Vol 1 and 2 and have run monthly club nights at Herbal called Nasha Eastern Drum and Breaks and at Gramaphone called Nasha Live...
Eastern Drum and Breaks Vol 1 / Vol 2 / Nasha V3 / 12 Singles - Eastern Uprising - Music from the Asian Underground, Compiled by Earthtribe, Released on Sony/Higherground
- Indian Electronica volume 001, Compiled by Qasim Virjee aka Abdul Smooth