IndiaPost.com - DJ Rekha launches Basement Bhangra album

NEW YORK: DJ Rekha, popular for her Basement Bhangra in New York, has embarked on the next chapter of her career announcing the release of her highly anticipated debut album - DJ Rekha Presents Basement Bhangra - out October 23 on Twisted/KOCH.

On her debut, Basement Bhangra, DJ Rekha invites the listener to go with her into a world that merges the traditional Bhangra music of South Asia and the Hip-Hop beats of today. The listener will be able to experience some of the music that is heard at DJ Rekha's own internationally known event called Basement Bhangra, the New York dance party - which takes place every first Thursday of the month at Sounds of Brazil (S.O.B.'s) - that DJ Rekha has spearheaded and nurtured for more than ten years now.

Encapsulating the energy and intensity of the cultural phenomenon that is Basement Bhangra, this 17 track album is a mix CD - with four exclusive tracks including two original productions from Rekha - the music is designed for those who are already immersed in the sound and encourage new listeners who are bold enough to jump in headfirst.

DJ Rekha has collaborated with an array of artists including Wyclef Jean, Panjabi MC, and Bikram Singh - to name a few. The album skilfully weaves together Punjabi folk traditions and dancehall rhythms from Jamaica and DJ techniques that are quintessentially New York.

This record is sure to connect DJ Rekha with a larger musical audience and at the same time, introduce new listeners to the pulsating beats and rhythms that fill her often sold-out events which capture the cross-section of the lively musical culture that marries the sounds of New York City and the Indian region of Punjab. Rekha is planning to celebrate the release of this breakthrough record with a national tour.

"I create spaces as well as make music," says Rekha. "The best way for an artist to make an impact is to use what they do to make a change." She serves on the boards of Breakthrough, a human rights organization, and Pop and Politics, as well as raising funds and awareness for a diverse range of causes.

In addition, she lectures extensively at colleges and institutions about Bhangra and South Asian cultural production. She was NYU Asian/Pacific/American's Artist in Residence and taught a class on South Asian Popular Culture.