Naya Beat Records unveil remix album of Asha Puthli’s work

Naya Beat Records has curated a volume of remixes of the work of seminal Indian vocalist Asha Puthli.

‘Disco Mystic – Select Remixes Vol 1’ – features Yuksek, Jitwam, Maurice Fulton, Psychemagic, Kraak & Smaak, Turbotito and Ragz, and is set to drop on September 22.

With the second of the two volumes to be released at a later date, September’s record saw Naya Beat tracked down the original stems and recordings of Puthli’s most renowned work, and, working closely with the vocalist herself, tasked the above producers inspired by her artistry to remix her music.

In the run-up to the full release, a single is being released every two weeks taken from the LP, with this week seeing Maurice Fulton’s remix of ‘Space Talk’ being shared.

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Yuksek’s take of ‘I Am Song (Sing Me)’ was unveiled last month, building anticipation ahead of the record which boasts pumping disco, uplifting synths, driving percussives, drums and basslines, darker cuts and raw hits.

“It’s been heart-warming to see my music rediscovered and appreciated like it has over the last five decades, from crate diggers to A-list hip hop artists to the disco edit scene and now, a vibrant generation of young South Asian artists,” Puthli tells Mixmag. “It’s been a joy to work with Naya Beat and help create this platform for talented producers who have been inspired by my music reimagine it like they have!”

“Asha’s music has touched and influenced free jazz, disco, Afro-cosmic, hip-hop and beyond,” add label founders Turbotito and Ragz. “A girl from Bombay, she broke every convention imaginable in the late 60s. She hustled her way to New York, recorded with avant-garde artists Ornette Coleman and Peter Ivers. Made her acting debut in Merchant Ivory’s movie The Savages. Became a Studio 54 mainstay and fashion icon and was thick with a peerless group of creatives that included Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. She inspired Donna Summer’s early work with Giorgio Moroder.

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“Asha refused to whitewash her identity at the behest of US label execs so went on to record her solo albums in Europe. Her impact on music and culture is profound. Her story is an inspiration to a new generation of South Asian artists and more. We hope this remix album helps spread her music and legacy and inspires other creatives to be brave and fearless!”

Translating from Hindi as ‘new beat’, Naya Beat is a label focused upon uncovering foundational electronic sounds from the subcontinent and South Asian diaspora through reissues, remixes and compilations. Its previous releases include ‘Naya Veat Volume 1: South Asian Dance and Electronic Music 1983-1992’ and a rare 1985 Hindi New Wave album by Pinky Ann Rihal.

You can pre-order ‘Disco Mystic: Select Remixes Vol 1’ here.

Niamh Ingram is Mixmag’s Weekend Editor, follow her on Twitter