damnshestamil

Top Track: Good Love 2.0

Having been exposed to Indian Classical music from a pretty young age, I have always been curious about how modern artists push boundaries across genres. Improvisation as a means of showing off an artist’s competence has always been a staple part of South Asian music, and I was eager to discover this in fusion-music contexts. In my search for music that blends the inherently Indian Classical features with modern genres, I found Swiss-Tamilian artist, Priya Ragu.

Her quirky album title and gorgeous album cover caught my attention immediately. I shuffled through the album - the first track up was Good Love 2.0. It started of easy listening not dissimilar from the R&B/Soul tracks I had been exposed to before. However, by the bridge, the beat dropped into a fusion of classic Indian drumming patterns, layered under trap rhythms, alongside an electric guitar line evoking bansuri-like melodies. The clever interplay of classical references with the contemporary production hooked me instantly.

Throughout the album, upbeat tracks feature rhythmic, melodic, and lyrical nods to South Asian culture and diaspora experiences. Despite discvoering her just 10 songs ago, I found myself feelign a deep sense of familiarity and nostalgia, immediately integrating her music into my rotation.

My personal affinity for South Asian music undoubtedly influences my enthusiasm for her album, I see clear potential for Priya Ragu to reach beyond the niche Tamil-Funk audience. Her genre-fusing approach to writing music could easily serve as a gateway for mainstream audiences to engage with South Asian musical traditions, while retaining resonance for like-minded fans. Experiencing her music live is very likely to highlight the same dynamic energy and cultural layering found on her recordings.