Disco, Bollywood-style, is typically high-voltage: metallic flares, dazzling over-sized mirror-balls, smoke machines galore and Technicolor flashing dance floors.  Let loose those dancing shoes and boogie down to Bollywood’s glittering disco heyday with Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and more.

For more information: www.worldmusic.net/store/RGNET1327

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO BOLLYWOOD DISCO

James Brown’s trombonist Fred Wesley famously said ‘Disco music is funk with a bow-tie’ - a witty observation but much too modest for Bollywood. In typically high-voltage fashion, disco done Indian style adds so much more: metallic flares, dazzling over-sized mirror-balls, smoke machines galore and more Technicolor flashing dance floors than you could shake a rhinestone encrusted stick at. 

Disco originally steamed up from the hot and hectic streets of 1970s New York. Embracing decadence and presenting a new souped-up beat-driven sound, disco (like punk) can be seen as a reaction to the placid, perennially positive hippy vibes of the 1960s. The UK, its ears already opened to American dancefloor sounds via Northern Soul, had its first disco number one in 1974 with George McCrae’s ‘Rock Your Baby’. Soon, imported cassettes and vinyl worked their way into the hands of Indian film composers such as Bappi Lahiri, R.D. Burman and Biddu Appaiah. 

While ‘Chand Mera Dil Chandni Ho Tum’, a dramatic ballad from the 1977 film Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, is an early example of the influence of disco on Bollywood, by the 1980s high energy bass-lines, peppy vocals and luscious strings had taken over.  The fun-loving magpie mentality of Indian film, both visually and musically, meant composers were more than happy to cherry-pick their favourite disco sounds and work them into their songs. On ‘Boom Boom’, sung by the Pakistani pop star Nazia Hassan, producer Biddu lifts Giorgio Moroder’s pulsating bass line straight from the Donna Summer hit ‘I Feel Love’, while the aptly named 1982 blockbuster Disco Dancer is a classic rags-to-riches story with a soundtrack that references dancefloor artists as diverse as Ottawan and The Buggles.  

The vocals of legendary Bengali playback singer Kishore Kumar epitomised the Bollywood sound’ throughout the 1970s. Renowned for his distinctive style of yodelling, his forays into disco heard here reflect his versatile vocal ability. 

Other treasures abound on The Rough Guide To Bollywood Disco, including such classics of the genre as ‘Hari Om Hari’ and ‘I Am A Disco Dancer’. Today, Bollywood disco lives on via modern interpretations and vintage appreciations. The cult club night ‘Bollywood Disco’ in New York is ever popular – their DJs instruct American youth in the long-lasting influence of the genre while their website explains how even contemporary hip-hop producers such as Timbaland have worked titillating morsels from the Bollywood back catalogue into their sound. 

Now it’s time to let loose those dancing shoes and boogie down to Bollywood’s glittering disco heyday.

The Rough Guide To Bollywood Disco also shines the spotlight on one of Bollywood’s greats, highlighting the dazzling career of the award-winning playback singer, actor, composer, screen-writer and director – Kishore Kumar.


Usha Uthup & Bappi Lahiri: Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache (taken from The Rough Guide To Bollywood Disco)

Soft Bollywood Love Songs Unplugged

Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (The Unwind Mix)

Aery Sakhi Mangal Gao Ri By Osman Mir

zehnaseeb

Arth

Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar - Jagjit

Sar Jo Tera Chakraye - Mohammed Rafi - -Raag.Me - -

A song that has always been a personal favourite. This is our interpretation if it. Composed by Shri RD Burman with beautiful lyrics by Shri Anand Bakshi. 

Guitars: Naveen Kumar
Vocals: Vandana Srinivasan
Mixed & Mastered: Bob Phukan @ Aura Studios, Madras

Jaane Kya Baat Hai - Vandanam feat. Naveen Kumar

DJ Nonstop Kirtidan Gadhvi - Kirtidan Gadhvi Songs 2015 - Non Stop Gujarati DJ Songs - DJ Songs

O Mere Sona Re - Asha Bhosle [DJ Honey Remix]

Madhaniya is a punjabi folk song sung by Banat Kaur Bagga, the Vocals are taken from her music mojo s5 session, Raj Ratan is some random teen producer who's currently on a journey to flip some Indian classics in his electronic style while retaining their emotional vibe and soul.
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Connect with the Artists: 

Raj Ratan :- 
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/raj_equinox/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajequinox/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/raj_aka_equinox
Youtube : https://bit.ly/2WhB9O1
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Banat :
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgLs...
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/beekaybeewr...

Artwork by Swarnima Jain :
https://instagram.com/swarnimaj/
https://instagram.com/heartinity/
https://www.facebook.com/heartiinity
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music mojo credits : 
Vocals, guitars, Keys - Banat Kaur Bagga
Guitars  - Shrikant Sreenivasan
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Banat Kaur, a singer-songwriter from Mumbai, is by far the best singer ive heard in all these 4-5 years of me producing electronic music, theres something really different about her voice, that you wont ever find in people, even if they might be technically better than her, even if they hit all the notes, Banat's voice has that emotional warmth that you cant get any other way, no matter how skilled you are or how trained you are, its just pure emotional. 
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Happy Independence Day to India and Pakistan,
and Happy birthday Mummy :) (aug 15)

Raj Ratan x Banat - Madhaniya (Rework)| Artwork : Swarnima Jain

GURU-A R Rahman-BGM

GURU-A R Rahman-BGM

arrahmanbgm