solo tracks and collaborations with Okzharp, Ruf Dug, Brackles, Fox & Murlo for Keysound, UTTU, Niche N Bump & Swing Ting

Releases

Farah Ahmad Khan & I present a collaborative work commissioned by Manchester Museum & Season for Change "Planet-People-Power" explores Black, Indigenous & South Asian diaspora experiences in relation to climate change, touching on intersectional environmentalism, environmental inequality and the ecological interconnectedness between Manchester and the Global South. The work features a plethora of international collaborators from artists, activists and musicians to poets, producers and curators.

https://fanlink.to/planetpeoplepower

Credits: 
Balraj Singh Samrai - Creator, Music Composition & Production, Vocals, Research
Farah Ahmad Khan - Creator, Writer, Poetry, Urdu Poetry, Vocals, Research 
Vikaash Sankadecha - Tabla
Rakhi Singh - Violin
Gavsborg - Poetry 
Pandit G - Spoken Interview Excerpt
Keisha Thompson - Spoken Interview Excerpt
Shanique Marie - Spoken Interview Excerpt
Pooja - Spoken Interview Excerpt
Alexandra Alberda - Spoken Interview Excerpt
Hope Jenkins, Sohrab Chaudhry, Aleeza Khan - Child Artists
Nikhil Sinha - Mastering

Stream/Download

Planet-People-Power (Season for Change/Mcr Museum Commission)

Watch Video/Support here: https://fanlink.to/PlanetPeoplePowerRemix

Balraj Singh Samrai & Farah Ahmad Khan connect once more exploring Climate Justice enlisting British-Tamil artist @goldtooth_dj & Mancunian-Malawaian @rootz0161 for a hard-hitting number fit for the club or classroom backed by a futurist visual from Sophie Ying-Wang Billington. This releases follows acclaimed works by Balraj & Farah for Opera North & MIF Sounds with performances at Bluedot & Manchester International Festival as well as support from BBC 6 Music (Mary Anne Hobbs/Jamz Supernova), Mr Scruff, Mixmag, DJ Mag, FACT Mag & Bandcamp Weekly. 

Originally a collaborative work commissioned by Manchester Museum & Season for Change, Planet-People-Power explored Pan-Africian, Caribbean, Indigenous & South Asian diaspora experiences in relation to climate change. The work featured a plethora of international collaborators from artists, activists & musicians to poets, producers & curators. 

Fresh from his BBC Asian Network residency South-London’s GoldTooth flips Planet-People-Power’s original track eleven minutes into a digestible three & half minutes expertly incorporating Rakhi Singh’s warm strings, Vikaash Sankadecha’s irresistible tabla rhythms as well as glowing pads, skittering drums & 808 bass glides even adding his own vocal lines to the haunting hook. Rising star of the Manchester underground Rootz raps a poignant verse putting forward the realities of the current situation whilst yearning for a brighter tomorrow. 

The Remix is interspersed with profound interview excerpts from Climate Activist/Researcher Pooja Kishinani, Curator of Indigenous Perspectives Alexandra P. Alberda & Manchester-based Writer, Performance Artist & Producer Keisha Thompson. Jamaican Artist Gavsborg of Kingston’s prestigious Equiknoxx collective delivers a stark poem as well as Asian Dub Foundation’s Pandit G offering a moving example of the role green spaces provide for the most marginalised as well as the industrial threats that loom.

Balraj Singh Samrai & Farah Ahmad Khan - Planet People Power(GoldTooth Remix) featuring Rootz

My first solo release under the name "Samrai" since 2016 linking up with amazing talents LINTD and Raheel Khan on the new imprint - Sangha Industries. 
 
This single digs into the pressures of being turned into blood, sweat and grease for profit as well as exploring the triumph over such petty deaths. 

Sonically its minimal yet maximal with synths, sublow bass, drum machines and staccato tabla tones (from Vikaash), giving space for LINTD's evocative vocals.

https://fanlink.to/Oil_Money

Oil Money

Support

Samrai, LINTD & Raheel Khan - Oil Money (SANGHA001)

Presenting 'Help Me' - From the album 'Work & Roti' (coinciding with a Video release shot by Alice-Kanako starring LINTD & Vinthya)

https://fanlink.to/helpmesingle

Myself & Shanique first connected in 2016 have collaborated, performed and feasted (!) together on numerous occasions in our respective hometowns of Manchester, UK and Kingston, JA. This track is a special and personal collaboration for us both exploring heritage, displacement and cultural identity.

The stunning visual from Alice-Kanako stars Vinthya and LINTD who also feature on 'Work & Roti'. 

These extended versions feature additional tabla rhythms on the intro and outro with the Dub mix going to work on the vocal delay, fx and reverb. For the DJ crew!

Help Me

Samrai, Shanique Marie - Help Me (Extended Dub Mix)

'Bhangbow’ combines Bhangra, Dancehall and Dembow elements, deploying dhol, percussive drum fills, a catchy flute line and deep sub bass for a tune suitable for all kinds of festivities. Dropped just in time for harvest festivals Bandi Chhor Divas, Deepavali and Diwali, this riddim has had worldwide support from DJs Arthi, Asmara, Chandé, Florentino, Lil C and beyond with spins from Yerevan to London, Birmingham to Bengaluru.

https://fanlink.tv/bhangbow

Samrai - Bhangbow (SANGHA004)

MADDOG- She Gone Give it To Me

https://lorenzo-bitw.bandcamp.com/album/basta-timbao

On the 3rd of July Bandcamp day, all profits will go to Swordman Kitala who had unfortunately had a stroke. The money will go towards his treatment!

Jamz Supernova's label Future Bounce this year turns it's hand to the club, with a year long series of club releases which will culminate in a compilation! Picking artists who’s productions have been a staple in Jamz' DJ sets, each month will see an original, exclusive two track drop. Ranging from well known underground producers to those yet to have their moment, focusing on the UK & beyond!

More exclusive music

Premiere: Lorenzo BITW feat MC Yallah & Swordman Kitala 'Basta'

"I should have hugged you tighter when we last met [oh what a joy]"

Chronicling life in the COVID-era through music, song, spoken word, traditional South Asian percussion and contemporary electronic production, this unique work was conceived, recorded and completed during June 2020 as part of Opera North's artist development programme, Resonance: The Lockdown Edition.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFeHksgNr4c
Buy on Bandcamp: https://balrajsinghsamrai.bandcamp.com/releases

Credits:
BALRAJ SINGH SAMRAI [Producer]
PANDIT G [Co-conspirator]
GAVSBORG [Spoken Word]
FARAH AHMAD KHAN [Spoken Word]
SHANIQUE MARIE [Vocals]
TUNDE ADEKOYA [Spoken Word Interview Excerpt]
VIKAASH SANKADECHA [Tabla]
NIK SINHA [Mastering]
RAINBOW COLLECTIVE [Video]
Supported by OPERA NORTH

Download

I should have hugged you tighter when we last met [Mary Anne Hobbs Rip]

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DJ Manny & Friends @ The Lot Radio 09 - 11 - 2020

Back with a monthly show, Samia crosses rhythmic diasporas from desi to dancehall. 
This month, she's joined by Mixtress who pays homage to South Asian DJ's and producers  with a 100% desi guestmix.

STREAM RADIO FLOUKA

Samia With Mixtress | Radio Flouka 22/09/2020

Rinse France Podcast

Eyrah - 06 Octobre 2020

Dre Digital was joined by Jersey DJ and producer, EQUISS. They ran everything from Spanish-influenced house to UK drill and jungle. Inside - DJ JM, Project Pat, and KISH!

Dre Digital w/ EQUISS - October 2020

Producer-DJ-cultural practitioner @nahi_mitti picks up where her recent @discwomannyc mix left off, she's put together a smoky, slimy mix, touching on 88-116 bpm (non-)tresillo rhythms, saudade, unreleased tracks (incl ones sampling Eastenders) and a mismemory after a cremation in Birmingham in 2015.

Samia with Nahi Mitti  | Radio Flouka 17/10/2020

Rinse FM Podcast

Kush Jones - 13 November 2020

FEADZ Dancehall Special part 2 : 80's edition - 09 Décembre 2020

DJ Polo & NKC w/ DRMZU - 8th FEB 2021

Musician / DJ / Facilitator

Co-founder @SEEN_universe / @SwingTing 

Bookings/enquiries: balraj.samrai@gmail.com

I should have hugged you tighter when we last met [Mary Anne Hobbs Rip]

Samrai

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