Charanjit Singh was a Bollywood composer in the 60′s and 70′s; certainly not the kind of composer you’d describe as a high flyer, Singh rocked a few weddings here and there to supplement his not-so-grandiose income. But, he was also the kind of dude to turn up to a studio session with the latest pricey synth from Singapore, and this record here very much reflects his lust for the new.
‘Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat’ was considered a ruse to cash in on the fashionable disco sound of the time, but what Singh actually managed to do in ’82, with his ground breaking use of the 303 and 808, was predate Acid House by some three years. He has, inadvertently, completely changed the accepted timeline of dance music itself. Not bad Charanjit.
Loads of people thought this was an elaborate hoax by some hoaky McHoaxter like Aphex Twin, but the facts have been checked and it appears it’s the real thing; Singh really has proved to be an unwitting, unassuming pioneer.
Charanjit Singh ‘Raga: Bairagi’ (Bombay Connection) by cmjct