Mighty Asian Beats Press Release
The album kicks things off with a track from one of the foremost names in Asian music!
Panjabi MC. Having sold over a million copies of his last mainstream release
(the ubiquitous ‘Mundian Te Back Ke’) PMC this time samples the vocals of Chamkila –
the Punjabi vocalist, mysteriously murdered in 1988 – laying them over a grimy,
hip hop beat.
Next up is globally influenced band Swami, whose members have a pedigree stretching back to the early ‘90s. Having just returned from Glastonbury and with a Maida Vale session planned for later this month, ‘Electro Jugni’ looks set to be the track that propels the band to the next level.
Also bubbling under at the moment is target=”_blank” title=”The Kalyan – Disco Warrior”>The Kalyan’s ‘Disco Warrior’, a track that has already been picking up play on Radio 1, as well as Asian radio shows and stations across the board and is soon to be released as a single in its own right.
The Specialist bring a unique blend of influences to ‘Heer Dholi’; their drum & bass background, love of underground hip hop and time as DJs melding together to create a sound set to take British Asian music to an even higher plain.
Two of UK hip hop’s finest – Jehst and Foreign Beggars – drop in on ‘Black Hole Prophesies’,
While ‘Original Nuttah’ UK Apache returns, this time with an ‘Arabian Nuttah Story’ for the masses.
Former Mentor Kolektiv member AC hooks up with Terra on ‘Rowdy’, drafting in former MK bandmate Des-C and Brixton’s finest – Genesis Elijah as special guests on this Desi Refix, while ‘Nosering’ highlights Sharaab’s personal fusion of vintage synths, industrial beats and Eastern instrumentation – christened ‘ethnoclash’ by the man himself.
Taking time off from working with the likes of Usher, Pussycat Dolls and Chris Brown; 2AM Allstars further builds on his reputation as the DJ/ producer to keep an eye on, drafting in 2Bad and Don Terror on ‘Right Money’.
MDK Cartel, meanwhile, take their musical influences from grime, hip hop and dubstep, dropping in elements of all three on ‘In Da Dance’.
Further exclusives come from Mixmag breakbeat fave Juttla and world music star Gaudi, an Italian whose pedigree runs eleven albums deep and includes work with the likes of Bob Marley, Simple Minds and Horace Andy.
Finally The Kalyan throw in an exclusive ‘Desi Warrior’ remix as an album closer.
To celebrate the release of Mighty Asian Beats, the Shaanti crew have two very special launch parties planned at London’s Cargo on Saturday 25th August and The Factory in Birmingham on Friday 31st August, with guest appearances at each by the album’s artists (full line ups available on request)
This will be followed by a nationwide Freshers and club tour.
