Music

High Chai Records On Music Being A Drug

Published

7 years ago

July 22, 2017

FWDmedia

Music isn’t the drug, the brain is, but ‘brain is a drug’ doesn’t sound cool!

Words: Devika V Menon Images: Various sources

Why do you say Music is a drug?

~ Music isn’t literally a drug. The “drug” in this case is really your brain, but “Your Brain is a Drug” doesn’t sound as cool. When we listen to music we like we get surges of dopamine, a chemical in the reward-centers of the brain responsible for all the pleasures we derive from eating food, having sex, or of course doing drugs (yes, sugar is included here!).

So, music can be addictive – we may listen to our favorite tune hundreds of times. Music genres are subjective, but if you listen long enough you will get familiar with it, and start to crave it. Then you may declare to your friends, “I ONLY LISTEN TO HARDSTYLE NOW!” Next week it may be Jazz, or Trap. All this thanks to the drug-like effects music has on us…

high-chai-recordings

Image source

What makes you different from the rest of the Indie Labels?

~ Most labels are one-genre only. They trade in Drum & Bass only, or just Tech House. We are a multi-genre label, so one release may be very melodic and soothing while the next could be 808 Festival Bass. We also don’t follow all the trends there are out there… we take time to cultivate our artists and keep an ear out for a particular sound, a certain way the music is written… Very few labels do this. We also help our artist grow and learn the right way to write music.

If you were to pick three favorite tracks that you have discovered, what would they be?

~ This track prompted me to compile my first compilation, Revolution Rising vol. 1, that was a reflection and celebration of my website ethnotechno.com that chronicled the growing subset of electronic music from 2001 to 2012.

~ This track prompted me to compile my final compilation, the follow up to 2011’s Sub Continental Bass that also saw a release on Universal Music India that year. This 2015 follow up was to close out the Asian Electronic journey that ethnotechno.com started.

~ This track was supposed to go elsewhere but I demanded to include it from the artist. I knew it was a winner and it continues to be one of the most played tracks of our artist Defunk’s catalog across streaming services.

How do you choose an artist to represent?

We look to see if they write tracks in a complete form – nowadays there are too many bedroom producers that don’t know how to actually write real music, so a lot is lacking in their productions. But writing good music isn’t enough, now they must be marketable and sell themselves to an extent too. Social media has taken over and the fans need a direct connection to the artist.

For more info about High Chai Recordings:

http://HighChaiRecordings.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/HighChaiRecordings

https://www.facebook.com/HighChaiRecs/

Music

Introducing Hanumankind, Kerala’s Boundary-Breaking Rapper

Published

4 months ago

August 19, 2024

Reshma Vivekanandan

Have you ever envisioned a rapper from Kerala taking off similar pranks for a viral music video on the internet? That’s exactly what HanuMankind’s “Big Dawgs” has accomplished, racking up over 17 million views on YouTube and holding the 43rd position in the worldwide top music video chart right now.

“Pushing culture baby, got that product you can’t measure,” is the official slogan of the “Big Dawgs.” Rapper HanuMankind, who was born in Kerala, wrote, sang, and performed the song that launched desi hip-hop on a worldwide scale. This newest Instagram success is causing social media influencers, music reviewers, and fans worldwide to go crazy.

The newest mega song, “Big Dawg” featuring Kalmi, is causing quite a stir among hip-hop fans worldwide. Texas is where Sooraj Cherukat, better known by his stage as HanuMankind, spent his formative years. He created the ideal combination of desi and global components in the ‘Big Dawg’ music video by incorporating sounds with a Texas flavour.

‘Big Dawg’ is a raw video with a South American flavour, shot in Ponnani, Kerala, a coastal district. It has a desi swagger and an explosive punk vibe that is hard-hitting due to its South Indian location. It is Instagram-worthy thanks to its intense drumbeats, gritty graphics, heart-pounding moments, and deft editing.

With songs like “Rush Hour,” “Genghis,” and “Go To Sleep,” HanuMankind is becoming one of the most prominent names in popular hip-hop. ‘Big Dawgs’ has now catapulted him to an unparalleled level as an industry innovator.

Bijoy Shetty is the director of “Big Dawgs,” and Kalmi of Brown Crew Productions is supporting the film. The main rider, Sulthan Sheikh, Moor Saleem, Muhammad Shadab Ansari, and Kashish Sheikh all perform the tricks.

Entertainment

Ashwin Bhaskar I Making Waves In The K-pop Universe

Published

3 years ago

February 9, 2022

Jeslin Sebastian

The limelight is nothing new to the 27 year old Singer-Songwriter Malappuram native, Ashwin Bhaskar who went crazy viral last year for his insane dialogue remix – Perfect Ok. He is back and is making waves in the world acclaimed K-pop music universe as well.

Ashwin has released a cover collaboration of the Korean hit single Tattoo with the original singer herself – AleXa and is racking up raging views. The music video currently Trending #24 on YouTube Music is a huge shoutout to all the K-pop die hard fans right here in Kerala and we couldn’t be prouder!

Watch it here:

Checkout his music on Spotify and his latest single Story In A Nutshell.

Music

The Upcoming and Released Album Calendar

Published

3 years ago

September 11, 2021

Contributor

It’s nearly impossible to keep up of everything that’s coming out each year, with more music being released every year. The options are seemingly unlimited, ranging from pop to hip-hop to alternative to K-pop to country, not to mention vinyl, re-releases, and collectible editions.