Music / arnolfini
Punjabtronix: Hybrid Sounds
When you’re getting ready to rave, Punjabi folk music might not be the first thing you’d think to sling on the decks – but with the help of some ultra-talented Indian musicians, that’s exactly what Ivor Novello nominee and superstar producer DJ Swami has planned for his newest project, Punjabtronix. Swami will be mixing analogue sounds provided by a cast of highly respected Punjabi musicians with dance beats to create an entirely new and improvised genre – and what’s more, they’ll be doing it live at Arnolfini this month.
Swami explains the concept. “I grew up with British electronic music and Indian music, so I’ve always been influenced by bringing the two cultures together,” he says. “One of the questions I’ve always asked myself is, ‘which part of me is British and which part of me is Indian?’ I think as an artist you’re always trying to discover who you are through your music. I thought it would be interesting to mix extreme electronic music with raw Punjabi folk, so I started experimenting a bit, and I ended up travelling to India to work with the musicians. It has evolved into a whole new live concept, which is very exciting.”
is needed now More than ever
Swami wasn’t surprised about how well the two genres combined. “We like to listen to hypnotic cycles of music that overwhelm us. Whether it’s dance music, whether it’s folk music, it’s all about this human experience of getting lost in the music, and both these genres offer that.”
The new live concept will be performed off the cuff by both the Punjabi musicians and Swami, and will be accompanied by sound-responsive visuals by Bristol’s John Minton. Though you might think he’d be terrified, Swami insists that he is thrilled by the implications of a completely improvised set. “I think people know when a DJ is just hitting ‘start’ on the track and when somebody’s truly improvising,” he muses. “I think improvising says you respect the audience and they respect you back. It could go horribly wrong, but that’s the risk we’re prepared to take. It’s a conversation between me and the Indian folk musicians after all, and we want the audience to hear that conversation live.”
As much as Punjabtronix is looking forward to the future, Swami is also keen to celebrate the past. “It seems to me that this is exactly the right time to do something like this,” he says. “My grandparents came to this country and my mum and dad went to school here, so it’s time to reflect on the important elements of our culture and what makes us truly British at the same time. I’d like to bring those things together in a really sincere way.”
Punjabtronix will perform live at Arnolfini on Sunday, July 16. For more information and tickets, visit www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/punjabtronix
Read more: johnsmith: Dear John
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
