One of the best collection of north Indian (mainly Punjabi, Rajasthani and Gujarati) music to have been released in recent years is from the Jaipur-based company Dekulture.

The series of 20+ CDs are beautifully recorded and for the most part field recordings that capture the very much living (but under threat) folk music culture of north western India.  The CDs themselves are gorgeous ornaments…

Spiritual Love: Tragic Love Songs of Punjab

Sohni crossing the river to Mahiwal

At  the center of Punjabi cultural identity lay the tradition of what are often called ‘tragic love stories‘. These stories of star-crossed (not to mention caste and creed segregated and gender discriminated) lovers are embedded in the psyche, the art, the faiths and the languages of Punjab in a way that very few other stories or traditions in other parts of…

Kabir Mela: Rajasthani Folk

Continuing with this series here is a collection compiled and recorded by the fantastic label De Kulture out of Jaipur.

Pure, unsanitised folk music from India’s western deserts.  Nothing more needs to be said. This is probably the closest you’ll get in terms of what singing Kabir’s poetry sounded like during his time.  Drum, tiny hand cymbals, drone and voice.  No guitars, no electronics, no…