“Eligh is one of hip-hop’s most unique songwriters and lyricists, often combining his rapid and machine-like rhymes with a variety of musical styles” – Red Bull
Rap has gone global but there’s still very few instances where the realms of rap and world music meet. Marrying hip-hop with classical Indian music, the newly formed group A.E.S., bridges that gap. Featuring Eligh, an independent hip-hop artist known for genre experimentation, Alam Khan on the 25-stringed fretless instrument called the sarode, and Salar Nadar on the Indian drum known as the tabla, A.E.S. is proud to release their first song, the rhythmically dizzying “ATMA” which is Sanskrit for “World Soul,” from which all souls come and return to. The track premiered via Red Bull in anticipation of their debut EP, which is set to drop in 2015.
Combining the unique skill sets of these three virtuosos, “ATMA” showcases the upper limits of rhythmic dexterity. Employing a call and response technique, the song reveals an explicit conversation unfolding between the Eligh, the saraode, and the tabla. Using stacatto-like monotone delivery, Eligh’s voice becomes the third instrument – a multisyllabic percussion instrument. The frenetic energy of Eligh’s rapid fire delivery is balanced by the calming content of his lyrics which reference both nature and providence alike. Providing the highest caliber in classic Indian music are Alam, the son of the late legendary Ali Akbar Khan, regarded as the greatest sarode player of modern times, credited for bringing Indian music to The West, and Salar, who is a disciple of renowned tabla master Zakir Hussain. Together, these three masters of different crafts are bridging cultures and genres, creating a new energy hybrid made up of both ancient and modern forces.
Watch “ATMA”: http://youtu.be/mmpcj5bsnVY
Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with A.E.S.
A.E.S. is acronym for each member of the group, which consists of Alam Khan on Sarode, Eligh on vocals, and Salar Nader on Tabla. The genesis of the group started when Eligh met Alam at one his shows in San Francisco. From there the group started to collaborate and fuse two worlds – hip-hop and classic Indian music – to create something bigger than the sum of its parts.
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“ATMA”: http://youtu.be/mmpcj5bsnVY