Karsh Kale was born in the UK, and grew up in New York. Born to Indian parents, he's a pioneering figure in Asian Underground music, mixing traditional Indian sounds with electronica and dance. Early in his career he was approached by producer Bill Laswell to join Zakir Hussain, Talvin Singh, Trilok Gurtu and Sultan Khan to form Tabla Beat Science. In 2000, the group released Tala Matrix, an influential album that's considered one of the greatest modern explorations of tabla fusion.
Hear Karsh Kale from 2013 in this appearance for MTVs Coke Studio - that featured the music of India.
After his last full-length album, Up, released in 2016, Kale became disillusioned with the music industry, frustrated with its formulaic approach to making music.
For Dust, Kale changed that dynamic. Prior to writing songs for Dust, he took to painting. He made 28 paintings to serve as inspiration for the new music. Making paintings for no one, he says, helped him recapture the childlike feeling he got earlier in his career. Rather than trying to ride the current wave on Tik Tok, or looking for a specific audience, he decided to rely on his instincts. He wanted to make an album for his 10-year-old self, whom he says had great taste in music. He found the process much more satisfying. Starting his compositions on solo piano, he later took his ideas into the studio to develop them into more expansive sonic soundscapes.
Among the 11 tracks on Dust is Tabla Beat Scientist, dedicated to Zakir Hussain, the late tabla master who was influential in Kale's life and career. The breakout single, Night Turns, is a funky, groove blending rock and electronica track, spiced with Asian fusion percussion.
Dust is an immersive experience with a nice mix of ambient sound, Indian percussion, electronica, and at times a driving beat. We'll be exploring it over the next several weeks on Open Air — weekdays 9am-3pm on JPR's Rhythm and News Service.
