“Closer” is Khanvict’s penultimate single from his forthcoming EP,  ‘Escape’, due in April of 2021. In this emotional and evocative piece, the Pakistani-born, Surrey raised producer continues to sculpt soundtracks to a fantasy world where lush strings, deft percussion, and deep bass live in harmony. Inspired equally by Bollywood composer AR Rahman and electronic artists like CloZee and Troyboi (and having just finished 2 official remixes for the former), in ‘Closer’, Khanvict weaves together a traditional Punjabi lyric with his signature style.

Khanvict - Closer

Surrey-based Asad Khan (aka Khanvict) is an escape artist. His love for lush strings, cinematic swells, and a West Coast bass music punch instantly transport the listener – conjuring visions of desert expanses and dense jungle paradises. The inspiration behind ‘Escape’, Khanvict’s second EP, originated early in the pandemic. Deep in lockdown in Surrey, BC, Asad began a series of weekly livestreams on Twitch which he titled ‘Escape’. These free flowing sessions, attracting up to 2,500 viewers on Friday nights, spoke to the collective need for an escape. An escape from the lockdown. An escape from the fear and uncertainty. An escape into a feeling of freedom through music. 

Asad immigrated to Canada from Pakistan with his family at the age of 13. And in many ways this new EP is the story of his life. Although trained as an engineer, Asad left his career in his mid 20s to pursue his passion for music. The last several years for Asad have been a journey of self-discovery - and an escape from expectations. Expectations of his community, his family, and ultimately himself. 

In that, ‘Escape’ is the most personal and sophisticated Khanvict effort to date. The pandemic was a time of intense creativity and gestation for him, and that is evidenced in the attention to detail paid to production, arrangement, and song writing. Impedance, featuring celebrated violinist Raaginder (LA), brings to mind the minimal desert soundscapes of Zhu. While ‘Heavy’, the first single on the album, is reminiscent of the bass driven wobble of Clozee or Troyboi.

Follow us in Social Media


Follow Khanvict on Social Media

Escape (feat. Sharanjeet Singh Mand)

Khanvict returns to his roots with ‘Your Love’. After a big year in which the viral success of his song ‘Closer’ saw millions of streams, a placement in Disney’s Ms Marvel series and a nomination for the Prism Prize, ‘Your Love’ sees the Pakistani-born Canadian producer release the very first track he ever wrote. Exploring the fragility of love and longing,  the song is a re-imagination of a classic Punjabi folk melody by Noor Jehan, and was originally inspired by the radical build and drop treatment of Indian super producer Nucleya. Generations of Khanvict’s family have known and loved this melody, and with a busy summer of festivals and parties ahead of him (including multiple sets at Burning Man), this feels like the right moment for him to connect with his roots and connect to the future. The video, directed by acclaimed LA-based Sundeep Morrison, explores the universality of love - and celebrates love in its myriad forms.

Khanvict - Your Love

Inspired by the elements, Alam Khan’s Akash (Ether) Pt. 1 is a sign of things to come, and offers a first glimpse at his upcoming full-length album.

A powerful rumination on our changing world, this single by the renowned Indian classical sarod player and composer brings us a shimmering vision of light, shadow, and the cyclical nature of being. Emotional and cinematic, the combination of Bengali 5-stringed Dotara and Alam’s main instrument, the 25-string sarod, form the basis for much of this multi layered soundscape. A persuasive broken beat drum loop grounded in earthy percussive sounds roots the slowly evolving composition. At times reminiscent of Talvin Singh, at times Philip Glass, Akash (Ether) Pt.1 is a bold and original statement on where were are right now and the work that needs to be done by a composer at the peak of his powers.

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alam Khan is the son of the late legendary Sarode Maestro Ali Akbar Khan. Since his youth Alam has performed all over the world and is regarded as a torch bearer and virtuosic Sarodist of the Maihar Gharana. Along with his Sarod playing, he is known as a genre-bending composer and innovator, blending different musical styles, cultures and moods. His classical work, and many years of producing, composing and collaborating with some of the worlds most gifted musicians, have given Alam his unique and powerful sound.

His upcoming full length album is out on Snakes x Ladders in the fall of 2022.

Alam Khan - Akash (Ether) Pt. I

Almost’ is the first single off an upcoming EP from frequent collaborators, Pakistani-Canadian producer Khanvict and Punjabi-American violinist Raaginder. Both known for their boundary and genre defying work crossing linguistic, musical and cultural boundaries, ‘Almost’ is their most mature cowrite to date, and hints at big things to come. First roughed out in 2019, the track offers a glimpse at the whimsy of pre-pandemic life. The two artists were in LA at an airbnb for a video shoot - Khanvict had written some chords and beats and Raaginder was jamming along. When Khanvict heard Raaginder play what would become the main hook of the song, he recognized the magic in the air, and the two artists honed in on that violin line and finished the arrangement in one session. Later additions included the beautiful sound of the rabab, played by Raaginder in the breakdown. The duo individually had landmark years, each placing a track in the Disney production Ms Marvel, and each seeing millions of plays on Spotify. Fresh off a sold-out fall co-headlining tour of SF, LA, Vancouver, TO and NYC, this collaboration is the latest product of a close friendship between these talented artists.

Almost

Khanvict & Raaginder - Almost

“STEP” is about coming together in song & dance. After the world just went through a rough moment with covid making us distant from one another, we wanted to create a song that gave an inviting feeling of harmony. “STEP” makes you want to drop everything and just dance. The music video journeys through the aesthetics of the 1970’s, 90’s and finally early 2000’s to capture a nostalgia to suit the blending of genres of the record. Producer/Artist KULTARGOTBOUNCE and Singer/Songwriter Shally Rehal start 2023 with a bang with “STEP”.

STEP

Shally Rehal, KULTARGOTBOUNCE - STEP

Are those war drums? Skinny Local and Cartel Madras take no prisoners in this wild, heaving, eastern rap-metal banger on Vancouver label Snakes x Ladders. Coming together again after the wildly successful 'Goonda Gold' collaboration of 2019, the Surrey-based producer teams up again with the Calgary and Toronto based sisters and rappers to create a noisy satisfying story about a character who is disillusioned and full of rage. Eboshi says "I chose to delve into the idea of “meeting my maker” to articulate the strange pessimism of the past year everyone was feeling and probably also because I was very angry for a lot of last year." Paired with a video by Gbohunmi shot in freezing temperatures in a warehouse on the outskirts of Calgary - this song and video are hot with rage, and cold with determination. Says the refrain at the songs end: "i'm just tryin to meet my maker, gimme some blood and sweat for my labour"

Skinny Local, Cartel Madras - MMM

Born from a chance meeting in a dust storm at Burning Man, ‘Insight’ is the retelling of a classic Punjabi love story by award winning Surrey-based Pakistani-born producer Khanvict and stalwart California based producer Equanimous. On Monday night of Burning Man 2022, in the midst of a historic storm which saw the playa disappear for hours, Khanvict ran into Equanimous backstage at camp Ego Trip. The two forged a strong connection and decided to collaborate. Months later, Insight emerged from an online collaboration that pairs Khanvict’s cinematic sensibilities with Equanimous’ deft drum work to create a dance floor friendly West Coast-style bass workup.

This beautifully crafted remake of the classic Surinder Kaur song features Surrey-based vocalist Vishaljeet Kaur singing, in Punjabi:

“How do i wear kohl on my eyes..
when it’s you (who resides) in my eyes..
My Love.. Your face is ever present before me
Your name is on my lips..
You are in my eyes..”

Insight

Khanvict, Equanimous - Insight

Combining the spirit of Mort Garson’s ‘Plantasia’, the generative approaches of Brian Eno, and the inspiration behind the bestselling ‘The Secret Life of Plants’, ‘Field Notes’ is the new album by West Coast musician and producer Tarun Nayar aka Modern Biology, due out for Earth Day - April 21, 2023.

Most well known for his viral plant and mushroom ‘music’ videos (which have been streamed over 100 million times), his third full length release is a more open format exploration of electromagnetic fields and  musical notes that draws inspiration from his formal  training in biology. These 13 vignettes were created outside in the lush temperate rainforests and rocky beaches of the Pacific Northwest and carry a nostalgia reminiscent of early New Age music or Japanese ‘environmental’ music from the early 80s.

Nayar’s process sees him hike, climb, and sometimes wheelbarrow his modular synthesizer and other analog equipment deep into nature to create live ambient soundscapes, often using wind sensors, sun sensors, latent electromagnetic radiation, field recordings and floral and fungal bioelectricity to create deeply contextual compositions that express the aliveness of a certain time and place. He then takes these recording into the studio to mix and layer in other elements and instruments to create these deeply personal sketches - or field notes as it were. 

Nayar says of his practice: “"I love creating surprising and beautiful musical experiences that bring us closer to nature and each other." To support the release, Nayar has scheduled a series of ‘Field Trips’ - or pop-up performances in public parks down the West Coast of North America. 

Nayar’s work has amassed him over 700K followers on TikTok (@modernbiology), has been featured by The Guardian, BBC, Genius, Vice, The Verge, LA Times among others, and one of his ambient works opens the new album, Moonchild Era, by Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh. His recent albums have received editorial support on Spotify’s Music for Plants, Deep Listening, and Lava Lamp playlists. Recent performances include the Museum of Contemporary Art (LA), Art Basel (Miami) and New Forms Festival (Vancouver). 

Tarun is passionate about protecting wild places and has committed the lion's share of the proceeds of this project to supporting the natural world.

Hope Is A Choice We All Make Together

Papaya

Morning Bells

I Love The Sun

Phases

Sphere

55555

Turkey Tail

7 Moods

A Conversation In The Mountains

Tiger Lily

Aegean Sea

The Prophet

Fresh off of tour, KULTARGOTBOUNCE & Shally Rehal are dropping their second of 8 singles before the year ends. NAZRAN is an upbeat and fun single. There’s a nostalgic feel to the melody and dance beat. The duo is gearing up for the winter album MIDNIGHT 2 which will be out for fall. Recently, KULTARGOTBOUNCE and Shally did a 5 stop tour with the Toronto legend FATEH. With the rise of Punjabi music, KGB and shally are consistently releasing songs with a unique flavour.

Nazran

Stream/Download: https://sxl.fanlink.to/jiyajaleremix
Follow us on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/sxl-spotify

Vancouver based acts Khanvict and Desi Sub Culture teamed up to deliver this bass heavy trap workup of one of the biggest Bollywood tracks of all time - AR Rahman’s Jiya Jale. Featuring the voice of the legendary Lata Mangeshakar, the remix plays off the intensity of the South Indian lyrics and percussion and teleports them to a peak time raving session. Snakes x Ladders worked closely with Venus Recordings in Mumbai to bring this official remix to life.

Follow Khanvict:
https://www.facebook.com/khanvictdj/
https://www.instagram.com/khanvictdj/
https://soundcloud.com/khanvictmusic

Follow Desi Sub Culture:
https://www.facebook.com/desisubculture/
https://www.instagram.com/desisubculture/
https://soundcloud.com/desisubculture

Follow Snakes x Ladders:
https://www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/
https://www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/
https://twitter.com/snakesxladders1
https://soundcloud.com/snakesxladders

Jiya Jale (Khanvict x Desi Sub Culture Remix)

Stream/Download

AR Rahman - Jiya Jale (Khanvict x Desi Sub Culture Remix)

Stream/Download: https://sxl.fanlink.to/donkeykong
Follow us on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/sxl-spotify

Follow Desi Sub Culture:
https://www.facebook.com/desisubculture/
https://www.instagram.com/desisubculture/
https://soundcloud.com/desisubculture

Follow Snakes x Ladders:
https://www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/
https://www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/
https://twitter.com/snakesxladders1
https://soundcloud.com/snakesxladders

Donkey Kong EP

Stream / Download

Desi Sub Culture - Desi Sol

Desi Sub Culture - Con Man

Kahani

Kahani EP

Khanvict - Turiya Turiya

Stream/Download: https://sxl.fanlink.to/samaya
Follow us on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/sxl-spotify

Hark is one of the most important South Asian producers of his generation. Responsible for some of the highest streaming singles of the last few years in the Punjabi music world, “Samaya” is our first glimpse at an alternate body of work. Melodic, emotional, evocative - Hark’s solo material invites us into another world. Close your eyes, open your ears, and enjoy.

Follow Hark:
https://www.instagram.com/dj_hark/
https://twitter.com/dj_hark
https://soundcloud.com/dj_hark

Follow Snakes x Ladders:
https://www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/
https://www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/
https://twitter.com/snakesxladders1
https://soundcloud.com/snakesxladders

Samaya

Hark - Samaya

Stream/Download: https://fanlink.to/cs4U
Follow us on Spotify: smarturl.it/sxl-spotify

Following his debut 2019 EP Kahani, this remix EP highlight's the biggest track off the release, Turiya Turiya. Based on a sample of an old Punjabi folk song, "Turiya Turiya Remixes" shines a light on Khanvict's community - and some of the most important names in South Asian pop / electronic music at the moment: Sanjoy (LA), ShiShi (NY), Skinny Local (Surrey) and Kryogen (Surrey). Timed to coincide with the release of the video for "Turiya Turiya", this larger than life remix EP is made for the dance floor.

Follow Khanvict:
www.facebook.com/khanvictlife/
www.instagram.com/khanvictlife/
@khanvictmusic

Follow Snakes x Ladders:
www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/
www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/
twitter.com/snakesxladders1
@snakesxladders

Turiya Turiya (Kryojen Remix)

Turiya Turiya (ShiShi Remix)

Turiya Turiya (Sanjoy Remix)

Simz’s debut single Mulq Punjab is an earthy straight-from-the-roots banger. Years of experience DJing at residencies across Canada has led Vancouver based Simz back to where he came from - embracing his love for his Punjabi heritage. Big trap beats blend seamlessly with the sarangi - a north Indian relative of the violin (featured in the album art). We dream of a rave deep in the mustard fields under a full moon. Have a listen and join us there.

Follow Snakes x Ladders:
www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/
www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/
twitter.com/snakesxladders1
@snakesxladders

Follow SIMZ:
https://www.facebook.com/DJSIMZOFFICIAL/
https://www.instagram.com/djsimzofficial/
@djsimzofficial

Mulq Punjab (Original Mix)

SIMZ X Shlok - Mulq Punjab (Original Mix)

Surrey, Canada based producer Khanvict is an escape artist. His love for lush strings, cinematic swells, and a West Coast bass music punch instantly transports the listener – conjuring visions of desert expanses and dense jungle paradises. ‘Heavy’ is his most sophisticated effort yet on Snakes x Ladders. Deep and contoured 808 bass tones are held in juxtaposition with soaring strings and vocal samples - and a clever chord change in the breakdown. ‘Heavy’ is a crucial piece of the story Khanvict has been telling for his last 2 years of releasing music. In these troubled times, his sets of original music are medicine – connecting the audience to his deep roots.

Follow Khanvict: www.facebook.com/khanvictlife/ www.instagram.com/khanvictlife/ @khanvictmusic
Follow Snakes x Ladders: www.facebook.com/snakesxladders/ www.instagram.com/snakesxladders/ twitter.com/snakesxladders1 @snakesxladders

Heavy

Khanvict - Heavy

Raaginder and Khanvict are having a moment. Khanvict, a Surrey-based producer, originally stumbled across Raaginder’s music while visiting the desert in Morocco. He knew of the California-based violin player’s work, but it was that trip that opened his eyes. Within a year, the two had connected online, met and recorded several times in person, and even collaborated onstage at Sessions Festival (New York) and a sold-out hometown show at the Imperial Vancouver this January. With an EP together on the horizon, “Butterflies (Khanvict Remix)” is a token of brotherly love - a remix by Khanvict of one of his favourite Raaginder tunes - with a proper EDM twist.

Khanvict:
Khanvict has 2020 vision. His latest single on Snakes x Ladders is his most successful, streaming over 75K plays. His November 2019 “Kahani” also saw great traction and led to an opportunity to release 2 official remixes of legendary Bollywood composer AR Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire fame. Recent singles have received support from Bobby Friction (BBC), Spotify, and Sony Music India. Shows in 2019 included Shambhala (BC), Bumbershoot (WA), Sessions Music Festival (NYC), FIMPRO (Mexico) and Chasing Summer (AB). Khanvict hosts a virtual club night every Friday on twitch.tv/snakesxladders

Raaginder:
Raaginder is a violinist and music composer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Hailing from the school of Maihar-Seni Gharana, Raaginder implements improvisation, rhythmic patterns, and the sounds of Indian Classical music on a modified five-string violin. He has performed in prominent venues all over the world such as The White House, Staples Center, Wembley Arena and many more. Through these endeavors and experiences, Raaginder's art brings forth a new, intense, and interesting sound for his audiences to hear.

Butterflies (Khanvict Remix)

Raaginder, Khanvict - Butterflies (Khanvict Remix)

The Classic by Surinder Kaur, Remixed by Khanvict

Khanvict:
Khanvict has 2020 vision. His latest single on Snakes x Ladders is his most successful, streaming over 75K plays. His November 2019 “Kahani” also saw great traction and led to an opportunity to release 2 official remixes of legendary Bollywood composer AR Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire fame. Recent singles have received support from Bobby Friction (BBC), Spotify, and Sony Music India. Shows in 2019 included Shambhala (BC), Bumbershoot (WA), Sessions Music Festival (NYC), FIMPRO (Mexico) and Chasing Summer (AB). Khanvict hosts a virtual club night every Friday on twitch.tv/snakesxladders

Akhiyan (Khanvict Remix)

Snakes X Ladders Selects feat Zokhuma

General Zooz & Su Real - “Indian Wine”
Su Real x Super Cat - “Bad Immigrant” vs. “Scalp Dem” (Su Real Flip)
Reggae Rajahs ft. Conkarah vs. Buraka Som Sistema - “Indian Girl” Dubplate vs. “Sente” (Su Real Flip)
Vayu, Aastha Gill, Akasa, Puri - “Naagin” (Su Real Flip) ft. Superwoman! & Humble The Poet 
Sidhu Moose Wala, Mist, Steel Banglez, Steff London - “47” (Su Real Moombahton Flip)
Anik Khan - “Big Fax” (Su Real & Dutty Deedz Remix)
Dopeadelicz - “Kelu” ft. Dutty Deedz & Su Real
Dhanush & Anirudh Ravichander - “Why This Kolaveri Di” (DJ LadyChan & Rocfam Deejays Remix)
Su Real - “Bajre De Soundboy” V.I.P.
Apache Indian - “Chok There” (Su Real Bootleg Remix)
Raja ft. Tory Lanez - “Island Gyal” (Su Real Reggaeton Fix)
Million Stylez - “Miss Fatty” (Thornato Remix)
Su Real - “Flirt” ft. MC Zulu & Tanya Nambiar
Delhi Sultanate vs. Yellow Claw - “Su Real Intro Dubplate” vs. “Slow Down” 
Mumbai’s Finest vs. Su Real - “Beta Baap Aye” vs. “Fitness Pump”
Nucleya ft. Divine vs. Su Real - “Jungle Raja” vs. “Thuggee”
Ranveer Singh - “Apna Time Ayega” (VDJ Shaan x Shameless Mani Remix)
Ranveer Singh - “Apna Time Ayega” (Shameless Mani x Dirty Decks Remix)
Nucleya ft. Avneet Khurmi - “Laung Gawacha” (Bullu Remix)
Gurbax & Mr. Doss - “Aghori”
Paranox  ft. Deelush, Srijan- “Punjabi Tadka”
Ila Arun, Alka Yagnik - “Choli Ke Peeche” (Mr. Jammer Remix)
Mojojojo ft. D’Evil - “Mawali Qawali”
Sama Blake - “Peng”
Su Real ft. Diggy Dang - “Dada”
Su Real ft. GD 47 - “Lala”
Su Real ft. Delhi Sultanate & Doni Brasco - “Shotta”
Su Real - “Bam Bam”
MC Zulu & Su Real - “International World of Dancehall”

Snakes x Ladders Selects feat Su Real

Snakes X Ladders Selects feat OX7GEN

Follow Us: 
instagram.com/snakesxladders/
facebook.com/snakesxladders/
twitter.com/snakesxladders/
twitch.tv/snakesxladders

Follow Khanvict: 
instagram.com/khanvictlife

Something Worth Protecting (ft. The Lost Strings)

Khanvict - Something Worth Protecting (ft. The Lost Strings)

Who let the snake charmer into the club? There's something so wrong - and so right - about Hark's latest effort Ganga Flute, out 19th August on Snakes x Ladders. The Surrey, BC based producer is well known for his work in the mainstream Punjabi music market. But his dirty secret is that he loves tripped out bollywood-gone-bad bangers. Frankly this is the version of Bollywood that we'd like to visit - chopped vocal samples, a sneaky flute line, and big hard beats. Bring it.

Follow Snakes x Ladders: 
instagram.com/snakesxladders/
facebook.com/snakesxladders/
twitter.com/snakesxladders/
twitch.tv/snakesxladders

Follow Hark:
instagram.com/dj_hark/
facebook.com/bookdjhark/
twitter.com/dj_hark/

Ganga Flute

Hark - Ganga Flute

Hark’s first 5-track EP, ‘The Mystic’ is a flex. Hard-earned production chops meet an almost supernatural sense of rhythm in this tribute to Eastern sounds, bass music, and an old-school hip hop sensibility. Eminently danceable, but somehow also perfect for chilling out - Hark’s music is chameleonic - it just always works. Hark is one of the most sought after producers in the Punjabi music industry - having written and produced for artists like Mickey Singh and Jasmine Sandlas. He also owns and runs new Vancouver-based record label Desi Soul Records. However, Hark’s dark and mystical side comes out late-night in smoky studios of his native Abbotsford - slyly reminding us of 90s Asian Underground and old-school hip hop - the meeting of which he likes to refer to as the ‘Eastern Wave’.

Ranjhan

Da Re Da

Kingdom is the story of liberation and a young Goddess finding her power - and the first collaboration between Surrey, Canada based producer Khanvict and Australian singer Amritha Shakti. This call to arms is the result of COVID-era online collaboration born out of a one-time meeting at a music festival in New York in the fall of 2019. A brief conversation turned into a months-long exploration of ideas on the internet - culminating in a demo of ‘Kingdom’ in the spring of 2020. Sung in Amritha’s native Tamil, a South Indian language, the sing begins: 

Naan pulli poren vaaren
Watch me arrive, like a fierce tiger
Odungadaa
Run away
ithu yenoda raajiyam
This is my kingdom/ reign
Aadungadaa
Dance (to my tune)

With the chorus reminding the listener (and the singer):

Jumbaalay Jumbaalaay
Un aatathaan inga kondu vandhu
oru scene-a podaathe
Don't bring your drama here/ don't try to mess with me--

Popular tracks by Snakes x Ladders