There's a typical type of Indo music that I've become accustomed to in Nor-Cal. It's bhangra mixed with hip hop. The classic heart-thumping dhol keeps rhythm as bits of modern songs are carried along in its deliberate wake. It was all I knew--all I expected--from desi musicians.
DJs showcased the same songs at parties; the same remixes were burned onto countless CDs and playlists. All bhangra began to sound the same to me. It was bland.
But then I tasted curry. Hot, spicy, freshly smuggled curry. It was so hot, it made my eyes water and my ears ring.
What was this curry?
It was music.
Not just any music, it was The Curry I had been looking for. It was different, and it was upbeat.
A couple of music-obsessed Indians with a taste for the fresh stuff had smuggled it onto a podcast.
That podcast is called the 'Curry Smugglers.' They've been running a free hour long show since 2009. There's absolutely no advertising on the show, which is a kick ass change from the AM bhangra station (which is all about aunties trying to sell you flour). It gets better, because the hosts actually know what they're talking about when it comes to music and they love to share. I can say I truly admire their passion and freakishly immense store of musical knowledge. They play a track list of new remixes and songs give loads of background info and end with a 20 minute set by a specific artist or DJ.
So what kind of music do they play? All kinds. They share music that is centered around the subcontinent, but their artists come from all over the world: America, Canada, India, Europe and the Middle East. They've covered old school bhangra, American remixes, Hindi songs and something that could be defined as desi-electro.
If you get a chance check them out at http://www.currysmugglers.com. They post new episodes every Sunday, although season 5 just ended. Hey, that just means you have some time to catch up before season 6 begins. :D
