D2 - 45rpm - Raga Malkauns [Charanjit Singh - Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat (1982)]

Update: Seems like Bombay Connection got the track listing wrong. According to Discogs, this is actually Raga MALKAUNS, not Raga Bairagi! Sorry for the misinformation. Also changed the album title to the original release, away from the title that Bombay Connection gave to it.

Track listing found here: http://www.discogs.com/Charanjit-Singh-Synthesizing-Ten-Ragas-To-A-Disco-Beat...

D2 - 45rpm - Raga Malkauns
Charanjit Singh
Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat [1982]

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=288726

From the Bombay Connection website:

Charanjit Singh's 'Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat' is quite easily one of the maddest records we've ever had in stock. It was originally made in 1982 by a Bollywood soundtrack composer, intending to capitalise on the disco phenomenon with a combination of centuries-old classical Indian Ragas set to a disco backing. To achieve this Charanjit used a prototypical acid set-up of Roland TB303 bass melody sequencer and TR808 drum computer together with a Jupiter-8 keyboard. He basically created a sound which mirrored, and more importantly, pre-dated the first acid house record - Phuture's 'Acid Track' by five years, and even preceded Chip E's 'Jack Trax' in 1985. It's no throw-away novelty record either, instead capturing the hypnotic potential of acid music in the most ornate and scarily prescient fashion, making explicit the similarities of infinitely arpeggiated bass sequences and pure electronic pulses that would soundtrack dancefloors for the next 30 odd years. The more cynical among you will probably be thinking this is Ceephax or Aphex Twin delivering one of the most elaborate in-jokes of their career, but with the gatefold sleeve depicting the original sleeve and some in-depth liner notes from the label and Charanjit, our cynicism is waning in favour of absolute shock and awe. 'Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat' is vintage futurism of the highest calibre, and made all the more amazing by the fact it came from India, a place hardly renowned for its electronic output! This is a remarkable record and comes with our highest recommendation - AN ABSOLUTE FIND.

Recorded in 1982 at HMV Studios In Bombay [sic], India

© Bombay Connection, 1982

Category:

Music

Tags:

• D2
• 45rpm
• Raga
• Malkauns
• Bairagi
• Charanjit
• Singh
• Synthesizing
• Ten
• Ragas
• to
• Disco
• Beat
• 1982
• Bombay
• Connection
• Techno
• classical
• Indian
• music
• acid
• house
• side

[househash]

@discogs D2 side named Raga Malkauns Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat Label: Bombay Connection Tracklist A1 Raga Bhairav A2 Raga Lalit A3 Raga Bhupali B1 Raga Megh Malhar B2 Raga Yaman B3 Raga Kalavati C1 Raga Madhuvanti C2 Raga Todi D1 Raga Bairagi D2 Raga Malkauns

[mudkipNDS]

@househash Argh. Shit. Seems like Bombay Connection screwed up the labeling for the D-side. Wish I had known this before I created the video, but I'm going to fix it now. Thanks for the heads up.

[stalag3333]

for the people saying there is no tb303 on this track i believe there is a photo of the composer with a tb303 a tr808 and a jupiter 8 on the internet. the tb 303 is from the early 80s. 1982 is the early eighties. oh this man is walking proof that the human spirit is able to travel freely through time , while we might not be brave enough to act on our visions of the future some people are. we call them prophets......

[Jagged85]

@jessecraig

The 303 was only just released in Japan a few months before Charanjit Singh got it from Singapore... I doubt the manual was even in English yet.

After all, Singh did say in an interview that he spent a long time trying to figure out how to use the 303.

[RuffneckRy]

@stalag3333 Nice comment... I'd just like to add, for all of those people saying there is no TB-303 in this track... learn to use your fucking ears, there was nothing before it that could make that kind of sequenced line, and there was nothing for another 15 odd years that emulated it.

[andmaketherain]

For 1982, Genius...

[almejri]

Holy shit! I think this is proof that time travel will be or has already been invented.

[stalag3333]

@COMPACTASS1 I have caught wind a while back that there is a possibility of CS doing a tour for this very album.

[COMPACTASS1]

@stalag3333 it is clearly a tb-303 anyone who doubts that dont know the sound!!!!

[COMPACTASS1]

@discopop 1981!!!

[nikirst]

holly shit. i can't believe this was made in '82