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Published: 22 March 2006

MUMBAI MASHALLAH

Sat. 25th March 2006

DJs Raz + Guru
Arabic / Bhangra / Bollywood

Free sheesha and special drink deals all night!

11pm till late

Free entry.

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Published: 14 March 2006

Kostal’s first single: Jaan Jaye (Promo)

I got this track as a promo – and it’s bumping!  The big club tracks being played out in Bombay now are those with a heavy Urban beat and catchy choruses.  This has definitely got an element of both but with a definite edge to it.  I know this is going be on my playlist for a while!  If you’re a fan of Bombay Rockers, or enjoyed their singles ‘Rock the Party’ and ‘Sexy Mama’, this is definitely a tune for your pleasure.  I can’t wait to get hold of their new album!

The guys who put this track together are still working on their album in Houston, USA. 

Here’s some brief info about the artists involved:

The idea behind the Kostal project began when Texas resident and DJ/producer Taha Malik (AKA Desi Texan) contacted Omran Shafique, a guitarist/singer and composer for the band ‘Mauj’, looking to help the band record their debut album. Although their initial meeting in 2002 was promising, both were kept busy with various other projects.

For the next two years, Taha continued to work on bhangra/hip hop music with international artists such as: Labh Janjua (Mundian Tuh Bachke-PunjabiMC feat Jay-Z), RDB, Punjabi Outlawz, Tehseen Javed, Sukhbir, Jae-R and many others. He also spent time promoting, producing and recording local talent. At the same time, Omran kept composing songs for Mauj, eventually going to Pakistan to make and release a video for their first single (Khushfehmi - dir by Babar Shaikh) in 2004. The video was aired on numerous TV channels around the world (ARY, Indus Music, AZN US, etc) and hit the top spots on the charts.  He also joined the UK/Pakistan based rock band co-VEN, recording an album (The Raj vol 2) and making a video (Third World Celebrity – dir by Sikandar Mufti).

At the beginning of 2005, Omran started talking to Taha, who, by this time had set up his own studio, about recording some songs for the Mauj album.

This led to a renewed interest in working together and the first demo track was recorded ‘Jaan Jaye’. The song was a welcome change in a new musical direction for the both of them, and Kostal (Gulf Coast…Coastal, get it?) began to appear on the horizon. The hip-hop/r&b and desi sound of Kostal developed into a more international flavor as the pair collaborated with artists from around the world. Taha, being a long time fan of French rap, brought Samy Elmousif, a French Morrocan rapper based in Quebec, Canada, into the mix. Kashif Chaudhri (Kash) who was working at the “Sofa King” studios with Taha for a while was added to the crew and brings the southern rap flavor. Finally Shab Malih with over 10 years in the industry and couple albums deep whose life is Raï music (a form of folk music mixed with Spanish, French, African-American and Arabic) completes Kostal.

The album is due early 2006, releasing through Ignite Records worldwide and will be featuring collaborations with a host of other artists, followed by a North American tour, and who knows, maybe a trip to the far East as well...

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Published: 02 March 2006

By 1997, Ges-e was a prominent figure in the Asian Underground music scene. Djing at all the serious Asian Breakbeat club nights nationally and internationally, including Outcaste (Resident), Anokha, and Sitarfunk.

As a Dj Ges-e’s choice in the early 90’s was Hip hop, Hardcore, House, and Electro anything with soul. He started to Dj at parties in community halls and local youth clubs around Brick lane in East London, alongside fellow djs Badmarsh and Osmani Soundz.

The problem he faced as a Dj was the lack of credible Asian dance beats to spin.As a dj he wanted to represent his cultural Heritage in a musical form.

This is what led him to music production. He so badly wanted to combine Tabla loops with breakbeats knowing this would be a winning formula.
Back in 1993 He had managed to buy himself a small studio setup comprising of an Akai S950 sampler and an Atari Ste computer. Friends would come round Jam and make beats, this was the very beginning.
Later he went on to college and was part of a team that setup and ran the Tower Hamlets College Radio. The crew included Sobur and Malik who later went on to set up Nasha records.
His first commercial release was in 1997 a track called Baksheesh recorded for Acid Jazz records and then later in 1998 He produced 4 tracks for Outcaste records – New Breed UK album.

He has since remixed tracks for Nitin Sawhney, the inna-most and A R Rahman.and has also composed music for Vena Rampal - The city Dreams contemporary dance performance performed at the Trafalger Square festival 2004/5.
Ges-e recorded 4 tracks for the first release on Nasha records ‘Eastern drum and Breaks’ Vol 1 in 2003. Joined by ex outcaste label mate Niraj Chag, and old skool co-pilot Osmani soundz. The album was very well received by all the major music press and radio alike. Played regularly by Bobby and Nihal (radio 1) show and Adil ray (BBC Asian Network).
Ges-e is a resident at Nasha's monthly club night which has been featured on the BBC2’s Desi DNA programme,and Militant 24 from ‘Eastern Drum and Breaks’ volume 1 was used as the title track for the series.

Currently he has just completed compiling "Eastern Drum and Breaks - vol 2" which will be released Oct 2005. The compilation features the very best Asian beat scientists Equal-i, Osmani Soundz, Aktarv8r and Vani.Tha album has been described as the definitive eastern beats compilation.
The debut 12” single "So Gaye Hain / PK757 taken from vol 2 has been received extremely well, selling out in the first week of release at world renowned Black Market records. You can catch the whole Nasha crew at their regular monthly ‘Eastern drum and breaks’ club night at Herbal.
Discography


Nasha Records

Eastern Drum And Breaks Vol. 2 (2005)
> ‘Mann Industries’ – Ges-e
> ‘Streets of Basra’ – Ges-e
> ‘PK757’ – Ges-e
> ‘So Gaye Hain’ – A R Rahman Ges-e & Equal-i refix
> ‘Elektro-K’ – Zahid
> ‘Sahara’ – Zahid
> ‘The Gaza Strip’ – Zahid featuring Saul Williams

Nasha Records (2005)
> ‘Zubeida' – Ges-e & Social Security
> ‘Raath Ke Baath' – Ges-e & Social Security
> ‘Ayyubi’ – Ges-e & Osmani Soundz (Dub plate)
> ‘Dakoo’ – Ges-e & Osmani Soundz (Dub plate)

V2 - Nitin Sawhney Philtre (V2) – 3 remix’s of ‘The Search’ (2005)
> Eastern Drum & Bass club mix - Nasha Experience
> Broken tabla mix - Nasha Experience
> Break lane mix - Ges-e & Osmani Soundz

Fabriclive 15 Nitin Sawhney compilation (2004)
> ‘Militant 24’ : Ges-e & Visionary Underground

V2 - Bobby & Nihal compilation (2004)
> Zubeida : Ges-e & Social Security

A R Rahman (2004)
> So Gaye Hain : Ges-e & Equal i Refix
> PK757 : Ges-e

V2 : Nitin Sawhney : All Mixed up (2004)
> Lately : The Nasha Experience

Nasha : Eastern Drum & Breaks vol 1 (2003)
> Ektaa : Ges-e & Visionary Underground
> Militant 24 : Ges-e & Visionary Underground
> Sonic Solution : DJ Feelfree & Ges-e
> Aftershock : Ges-e & Aref Durvesh

Peacelounge : Karma Culture 2 (2003)
> Tabla C : Ges-e
> The Virus : The Nasha Experience

V2 : Nitin Sawhney
> Falling remix (2003)
 
Outcaste New Breed Uk - (Outcaste/TommyBoy1998).

> Flute Song - Ges-e+Usman
> Dah Din Beats - Ges-e
> Field of Dreaks - Ges-e + Usman
> Talking Tablas - Ges-e



Keep checking back for more info on Ges-E coming to HK!!