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Presented by White Mischief Holidays, MTV Just Grind
will showcase the refreshing sound of Swaraj that comes
at a time when Punjabi/bhangra is the new flavour of
the west. In India, Swaraj will be represented by Khushboo
from Sonik Gurus, Nerm from Shiva Sound System and Cavo
from the Dum Dum Project. Swaraj consists of 20 DJ's,
musicians, producers and visual artists.
Swaraj was formed nearly six years ago and they have
taken their 'Future Asian Beat' sound - a heavy fusion
of eastern sounds and rhythms with Hip Hop, Funk, Breakbeats,
Drum 'n bass and just about any other western dance
floor style - around the world.
Swaraj made the following comments about their upcoming
trip to India "Swaraj is your birthright, performing
live in India is ours! We're looking forward to making
MTV Just Grind the most happening party in Mumbai so
make sure you're there."
MTV's Chillout crew will also be around shoot
a half-hour special that will capture the music, the
mood, the people and the maasti.
Formed a couple of years ago Sonik Gurus have been
likened to an urban version of Blur with their cheeky
British pop lyrical sensibilities and heavy urban club
grooves. Their music defies categorisation, crossing
just about every musical boundary while forging a genre
of it's own. Sitars, tanpuras, dhols and thumbi mashed
up with dancefloor beats, rocky guitar riffs and catchy
vocal hooks comprise their sound. Sonik Gurus are rapidly
establishing themselves as top remixers, having recently
remixed tracks by U.S R 'n B diva Toni Braxton and Shakalaka
Baby from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams musical.
Shiva Sound System formed an alliance with Swaraj just
before their compilation "Future Asian Beat" was released.
Soon rising to the headline act in the Swaraj roster,
DJ Nerm's sets grew incorporating new collaborators
and methods of performance at each turn. While the seeds
of the Shiva Sound System were sown here, Nerm toured
around the globe with Swaraj, including territories
from the US to India causing a storm wherever he went.
Meanwhile The Dum Dum Project are currently making
their own in-roads into Asia with a popular club residency
in Bangkok. They introduced a new Asian- Indian sound,
which combines Indian music with breakbeats, samples
and live instrumentation. Their new single Punjabi
50 has been at number one on BBC radio1 Asian chart
for over a month. Their sound is Urban Asian, with a
heavy New York streetwise influence. The band comprises
of Sean alias DJ Cavo and producer/instrumentalist Niraj
Chag.
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