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Janaka Selekta has been creating an inspired blend of reggae-influenced Indian electronica for some time. I first came across him five years ago as co-founder of Dhamaal SF, a West Coast collective of musical and visual artists evolving images and sounds from their South Asian heritage. In that time I've gotten a track here, a remix there, but Pushing Air is his first full-length effort. A decent enough amount of producers have tried to work Indian instruments into their digital palate, yet Janaka works backwards, with an obvious knowledge and respect for the traditional music.
Steeped in a culture provoked by dubstep, Janaka only borrow the best of those elements, predominantly allowing the Jamaican heritage -- profound bass leading the charge -- to take over. He employs real deal classical musicians, such as Bansuri flautist Ajay Prasann, vocalists Riffat Sultana and Sukhwat Ali Khan, sarangi player Muraadi Ali Khan, bassist Dr. Das, and tabla player Salar Nadar to lay the landscape. Crucial to Indian music has always been the "colorings" which define the songs, and even though he's working inside an entirely different format, Janaka maintains the effervescence and buoyancy that defines this diverse and emotive musical system. Shards of hip-hop shine through, but the tone and mood are classically South Asian, with a solid dollop of dub, resulting in a gorgeous evolution of this longstanding tradition
07/07/09
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