The word prolific barely begins to describe Karsh Kale’s storied career. The British-born, New York City-raised artist of Indian heritage has spent the last two decades zigzagging the world as a producer, multi-instrumentalist, tabla player, drummer, film composer, DJ, collaborator, and solo artist. The culmination of his planetary library can be heard on his fifth studio album for Six Degrees Records, UP, which we are honored to premiere on Glide Magazine.
Available worldwide on January 29th, UP finds Karsh Kale and his worldly team of musicians and vocalists embracing the kind of “electronic global fusion” most often associated with groups like Thievery Corporation and the Bombay Dub Orchestra. Kale is an expert at crafting jet-setting dance music that brings cultures from seemingly every corner of the planet together. The beauty of UP is that Kale never loses sight of his own connections to the music and culture of India, using Carnatic melodies, tablas, and Bansuri flutes to compliment rich, expansive beats. And then there are epic guitar solos that show Kale’s love of rock and roll and groups like Led Zeppelin. So many sounds and influences coming together may seem peculiar, but Karsh Kale sees it as a reflection of a globalized India, something he embraces in his music.
“When we were young, having such a diverse taste in music was rare,” Kale says. “Whereas nowadays kids have access to all types of music. For them this is normal. That’s why you’ll see AR Rahman headline a festival alongside Megadeth in India.” Speaking on the inspiration behind the album and its titled, Kale adds, “UP is a very personal journey through a time of constant travel where the only place I was finding clarity was when I was UP in the air , travelling.”
At its core UP is a vibrant, electrifying album of music made for dancing, regardless of what part of the planet you are on when you hear it. Give a listen to our exclusive premiere of Karsh Kale’s UP:
UP comes out on January 29th via Six Degrees Records. Check out Karsh Kale’s Facebook page for more info.
