House music enthusiasts often say ‘House’ isn't just music, it's a feeling that consumes you. Originating in Chicago’s underground club culture of the ’80s, house is dominated by high-tempo beats and electronica and matched with localised musical elements, it has transcended borders and won the hearts of millennials and Gen Z—something that Delhi-based DJ and music producer Hamza Rahimtula has witnessed closely while studying in the US.
“After globalisation, the concept of house music changed significantly. It literally came out of the warehouses, and many communities in America started producing their own house music. It became famous because it did not have words and was primarily based on beats. Beats that made people dance,” Rahimtula says.
The Rajasthani connection
With an intention to create India’s own house music, Rahimtula returned to India in 2006; in 2007, the visit to Rajasthan’s ‘Virasat Music Festival’ changed his life forever. The festival, which is held to celebrate the rich musical legacy of the state, provided him with the opportunity to encounter members of the Rajasthan Folkstars group, with whom he decided to work to create an album. Origin includes a set of Rajasthani folk artists, amalgamating folk elements with electrifying beats.
“I wanted to mix our heritage with modern-day technology. And folk is one of the oldest musical forms that exists in India. These artists with whom I have worked on my album, their ancestors used to work, sing, and play for the maharajas. Once the monarchy was abolished, they started to lose their jobs. They do not write any new songs or create any new music as there is no one to patronise them. They play the same songs that their ancestors used to play. So, the folk culture is dying, and I did not want that to happen,” Rahimtula says.
The popularity of house music across communities also compelled Rahimtula to take up creating India’s own house music that will include a set of musicians specialised in performing instruments that are unexplored in and outside India. “What I wanted to create was very different from Bollywood remixes. Bollywood does not carry the musical elements of the Indian soil,” he says. “What I wanted to create and work on making is purely indigenous and should carry the elements that this diverse land music holds. This is a make in India thing for the larger global audience,” Rahimtula notes.
Another reason why he was interested in the Rajasthani folk tradition was the number and variety of instruments that these music practitioners use. “I wanted to discover India’s own sound and rhythm, and the quest was fulfilled after going to Rajasthan. Their sound is unique, and so are the instruments that they play. I was moved by hearing Jaisu Khan playing khartal. Other than that, I loved bhapang, a small drum that people carry under their armpits. I also liked morchang and algoza. The fifth instrument that I preferred was the Rajasthani Sarangi,” he adds.
The first of many
Although Rahimtula’s journey to find India’s house music started in 2007, it took more than a decade for him to launch his first album with the Rajasthani folk artists. “Getting the right musicians to create the right beat was a huge task. Besides, they never worked professionally. Hence, it was sort of hectic for us to get things on track. For the past few years, we have mostly done stage shows. Now, the time has come for us to step up,” he says.
Origin, which will be launched on April 25, has 10 songs. All those songs are based on electrifying beats with folk elements added to them. Six of the 10 songs have lyrics while the other four do not. What is significant is that, Rahimtula has used the instruments found in Rajasthan along with various drums to create the rhythm. “I have used all five instruments I spoke about. Jassu Khan has played the khartal, and Bhauro Khan is the Sindhi sarangi player. Bhutta Khan is the vocalist, and Firoz Khan has played the bhapang. We wanted to include different Indian instruments than the tabla and sitar, which have been used too much. We also wanted to bypass all the urban influences that are often followed. There is no remix. These songs have come from our soil by amalgamating the traditional with the modern, with an intention to reach out to the global audience,” he concludes.