Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves

In the Western imagination, the music from South Asia has long been characterised by Hindusthani classical music and Bollywood, the national cinema of India. Yet, the region of the Indian subcontinent (comprising of the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan) with its rich cultural history and the sheer complexity of its ethnic, linguistic, religious, and geographical diversity, has been home to some of the most diverse and vibrant musical cultures in Asia and beyond. With the advent of digital means of music production and the Internet into the region the early 21st century, these musical cultures have incorporated sonic elements and aesthetics of global popular music and given rise to South Asian hybrids of Hip Hop, pop, rock, and electronic dance music, often categorised as “independent” or “regional” music. Such styles include the increasingly popular genre of South Asian Hip Hop, the techno-folk styles of various proletariat musics, and the ubiquitous DJ culture permeating festivities at street festivals as well as urban hipster clubs. TBEG showcases such diversity of musical styles.

However, film music still plays a prominent role in Indian popular culture and is also influenced by both vernacular folk cultures and global popular music. In this regard, TBEG features the music of the various film industries in India, be it Bollywood, Tollywood, or Kollywood. Furthermore, the music of the South Asian diaspora, such as the Punjabi-influenced percussive music from the UK and Canada and “Chutney” Soca from Trinidad, as well as Malaysia and Australia also form part of the playlists. Brace yourself for some beat-driven and groove-based South Asian action!