Hamza Rahimtula blends Rajasthani folk with electronic beats in his album, Origins

Delhi-based DJ and music producer, Hamza Rahimtula, who is known for his club-ready sonics, has now joined forces with Rajasthan Folkstars of the Manganiyars community, who are considered the living archives of the Thar Desert, courtesy of their ballads and devotional songs. Their latest work, Origins, is a vivid tapestry of sound where ancestral instruments meet modern electronic production.

Throwing light on the new album, Hamza tells Indulge, “I’ve been performing with the Rajasthan Folkstars since 2009. For many years, I was jamming regularly with two incredible musicians—Jassu Khan, who plays the khartal, a percussive instrument made of wooden sticks held in each hand, and another artiste, who played the bhapang and morchang, also traditional Rajasthani percussive instruments. We toured extensively until the pandemic hit in 2020. We naturally took a step back to reflect and rethink our creative directions. That’s when I realised that we had explored only half the potential of Rajasthani folk fusion. Up to that point, our focus had been solely on the percussive elements. We hadn’t yet tapped into the melodic side—like the sarangi and kamaicha, or the beautiful folk vocals of Rajasthan.”

Things took a different turn for Hamza after the pandemic. “I was invited to perform in Bali by a well-known Los Angeles-based label called Sol Selectas, founded by Sabo—the pioneer of the organic house movement. He was playing a set at Savaya, the biggest club in Asia, and asked me to join him. I shared my vision for this new Rajasthani folk fusion project—one that brought in melodic instruments and vocals—and he was interested. He told me, “No one’s done an album like this, but if the music is good, I’ll release it.”

Hamza says that he went all in after the conversation. “We brought the folk musicians to my studio in Hyderabad, and over a few days, they played nearly 100 Rajasthani folk songs. I carefully chose 10 tracks—avoiding the overused and famous ones—and selected ones that would naturally fit into house music tempos. Out of those, six were vocal tracks, and four were instrumental, where we highlighted the unique sounds of the alghoza, morchang, bhapang, and more. Then came the deep work—editing, producing, and building the tracks around those traditional elements. It took us nearly two years to finish.”

Talking about the challenges in the making of the song, he says, “When you’re fusing percussion with DJ sets, it’s relatively easy—percussionists can jam freely with almost any beat. But when you bring in melody—especially vocals—it gets complex. You need to create your own material, define the scale, the key, and the structure. It’s not just jamming anymore. It’s deep studio work. There were no reference points. We were stepping into completely uncharted territory.”

He adds, “People often ask how I blend something as traditional as Rajasthani folk with something as futuristic as house or techno. It might seem like they’re worlds apart, but they actually connect deeply. Folk music—whether it’s from Rajasthan or Africa—has always had a strong rhythmic and dance element. Same with house music. It’s all about the groove.”

Quiz him how AI has changed the music game and pat comes the reply. "AI has been a game changer. Sometimes, I hear a complex piece from Brazil or a Qawwali where five instruments are layered, and I just want one specific sound—say, the clap or the thali. In the past, I couldn’t isolate it. Now, with AI, I can extract that one sound and build something completely new around it. Even during recordings, if a singer needs a harmonium to perform but I don’t want it in the final track, I can now remove the harmonium using AI and keep only the vocals. That was unthinkable just a few years ago.

Any dream collaborations, we ask and here's what Hamza has to say, "I’ve always been drawn to world music. I’d love to collaborate with African legends like Oumou Sangaré or Youssou N'Dour—artistes who are deeply rooted in folk traditions yet globally impactful. If RD Burman were alive, working with him would’ve been a dream. His ability to mix Latin, African, and Indian sounds was way ahead of his time," whose current focus is on launching and touring with the album, Origins.

sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

X-@psangeetha2112