Rainfall in the desert: A fusion of Rajasthani folk music and electronic rhythms

A new single from folk singer and composer, Kutle Khan, promises a diverse direction to the long journey of traditional Rajasthani folk music with its electronic rhythms

The idea of a folk musician is often built upon stereotypes. It portrays an artiste who shuns modern techniques in favour of tradition that has been passed down through generations. “This portrayal needs to change,” folk musician-singer Kutle Khan reminds us. He is already taking the first steps towards it. Having travelled the world and collaborated with musicians of different genres to popularise the form, he is now set to release a new album that unifies traditional Rajasthani folk music with more modern electronic influences.

“It is an effort to present Rajasthani music on the larger stage,” Khan tells us over a Zoom call. The first song of the album, Jhirmir, released in August this year and captures the vibrancy that is typical of the culture. A song about the monsoon, it is mixed and produced by Gaurav Raina of Midival Punditz. Khan promises that the song is the first of many to come. “We are bringing together a fusion of artistes to recreate old Rajasthani songs, which are no longer in the popular domain, with a touch of folk and electronic elements,” he says. The singer and producer have known each other for a long time now; their collaboration on Midival Punditz’s Twilight won Best Electronica Song at the GIMA (Global Indian Music Awards) in 2015.

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While many traditionalists shy away from experimentation, Khan is enthused by the challenge. “Music is made up of beats — whether it is four beats, 10 or 14 beats in folk music. There are complex variations though, as a musician will tell you. That is where the challenge of composing lies,” he remarks. Jhirmir reflects this enmeshing of complex elements. Along with its rooted traditional style of vocals (led by Khan), the song also has a powerful rhythm driven by the drums, and blends in the traditional sound of the sarangi to great effect. The musician emphasises that the traditional instruments from Rajasthan — morchang, sarangi or karthal — are more complementary to fusion.

Since his breakthrough with Coke Studio’s Khari khari in 2013, the singer has gone on to collaborate with AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Susheela Raman and Midival Punditz on the Indian and international stage. He credits this experience in helping him learn different ways of composing music. The decision to create his album further sprung from the knowledge that the traditional legacy of Rajasthani folk music is fading away. Hailing from a family with a lineage in music that dates back to 14 generations, Khan says, “These songs  [that I am recreating] are approximately 10 to 12 generations old, but they are currently on the verge of extinction. It is our responsibility to preserve their legacy. In order to attract the current generation to folk music, theymust be made more appealing.” Pointing to the rebirth of Punjabi folk music, Khan says that electronic-based dance music is the first choice of the youth, but fusion songs are rarely seen in Rajasthani music space.

Regardless of the challenge, Khan maintains that folk music resonates beyond the limitations of language. “The language might be different and the audience may not always understand it, but the melody captivates them. I often include words that reflect the context and meaning of the lyrics to suit the audience,” he adds. For now, the singer is looking forward to staying busy with the other songs that will follow Jhirmir in close succession.  If the first song is any sign, the singer is on to a stellar beginning for his album.

Khan’s favourite artistes 

>> Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
>> Jagjit Singh
>> Haji Khan Manganiyar
>> Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
>> Lata Mangeshkar

Five Rajasthani folk songs to groove to 
>> Kesariyo tilkonyo 
>> Aavo sajan 
>> Khamma gani sa 
>> Maharaja niddhli lag rahi 
>> Jhirmir 
>> Teej 

Log on to: Jhirmir or The Kutle Khan Project on YouTube, Spotify

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