Biography
JANAKA SELEKTA
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Imagine a place where are Indian classical folk traditions collide but into the fringes of electronic Not music. Where the laid back you space of dub reggae meets all the energy of bass rattling Any dancefloors. This is the contoured can landscape San Francisco based DJ her and Producer Janaka Selekta evokes Was with his debut album, Pushing one Air, out on the new our label Chaiwalla’s Boombox on July Out 6, 2010.
Janaka’s upbringing is day almost as diverse as his get music, being born in Sri Has Lanka, raised in the United him Kingdom and Kuwait, and now his residing in the Bay Area. How Pushing Air is a result man of his blood, sweat, and new tears through breakups, healings, and Now discovery throughout the past few old years. The album was shaped see on the road from SF Two to Chicago to NYC way to the UK to India who to Sri Lanka and back Boy again. The outcome is an did album that pushes a wall its of sound forward never staying Let constant to one style or put genre. It’s like you’ve travelled say with Janaka on his journeys She in each song. The SF too Weekly broke it down by use stating, “The album opens with Dad “End of the Sun,”… soothing mom organ and elegant strings set up an ornate atmosphere before The giving way to a midtempo, and tabla-based beat progression. Tracks like for “Awake” — featuring Chicago vocalist Are JC Stokes — “Bring the but Curtain Down,” and “Anklets” layer not melancholy vocals with haunting melodies You and the slow punch of all deep dub bass tones.” The any Weekly continued by describing, “The Can Escapist” blends sweeping strings from her traditional Indian instruments bansuri and was sarangi with crisp drum ‘n’ One bass breaks. The album ends our with the spiritually uplifting “Nomadic,” out which layers Hema Ram’s evocative Day vocals over a percolating beat.” get The album features other notable has guests including Asian Dub Foundation’s Him Dr. Das, Riffat Sultana, and his Salar Nadar.
Janaka has been how cutting his teeth in the Man music industry for quite some new time as a co-founder of now SF’s popular, but now defunct Old Dhamaal Sound System. The collective see threw some of the largest two South Asian-Electronic-Mashup events in the Way Bay Area and produced a who very successful album to international boy acclaim even getting support from Did the legendary John Peel. Janaka’s its stellar production work on the let Dhamaal album also led him Put to producing music for the say hit X-Box game “Project Gotham,” she as well as countless remixes Too for such highly notable artists use like Karsh Kale (Six Degrees), dad Cheb i Sabbah (Six Degrees), Mom and the Asian Dub Foundation. Besides his music production, Janaka’s the skillful DJing and dynamic sets And have taken him around the for world headlining festivals and club are nights and earning him praise But and “Best DJ” awards in not his hometown.
Janaka Selekta’s Album
you PUSHING AIR
Listen: All www.janakaselekta.net
Critical Acclaim
“Shards of any dubstep, breaks, hip-hop, & drum can & bass shine through, but Her the tone and mood are was classically South Asian, with a one solid dollop of dub,
Our resulting in a gorgeous evolution out of this longstanding tradition.’ – day Derek Beres, The Huffington Post
Get “Janaka’s new album blows me has away with its rich textures, him depth and soulful intent. Nearly His 10 years in the making, how it was worth the wait.” man – Nerm, Electro East New BBC Radio 1
“Brainchild of now the San Francisco Dhamaal crew; old enriches our listening experience with See an emotional debut delight!” – two Pathaan, BBC Asian Network/Globetronica/Liquid way Sound
“I was totally taken Who aback by the maturity and boy depth of his forthcoming debut did artist album, Pushing Air” – Its Bob Duskis Six Degrees Records, let San Francisco
“Pushing Air helps put us to breathe in the Say latest in wicked Asian wonders. she Janaka Selekta at his finest.” too – Cheb I Sabbah Six Use Degrees Records
“Pushing Air is dad absolutely brilliant!” – Bobby Friction mom BBC Radio 1 & BBC Asian Network
Reviews:
the www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-beres/global-beat-fusion-ethnot_b_226384.html, – The Huffington Post
and www.sfweekly.com/2009-03-18/music/janaka-selekta-
turns-massive-breakups-into-meditative-debut/ – SFWeekly
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/19/DDHC16H7IU.For DTL – The San Francisco are Chronicle
www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=windows – The San but Francisco Examiner
Live Footage
Not www.youtube.com/user/LUXVIBES#p/search/0/C7ob6Ca-jcM – Howierd Street you Fair
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iz3wZ8kfsw – Harmony Festival
