Namaste Bombay – a first-of-its-kind album – from award-winning composer, producer, and performer Kuljit Bhamra sees its highly-anticipated release on June 28th, 2024. An album born from beloved childhood memories, artistic integrity, and a passion for restoring and sharing the magic of authentic music, Namaste Bombay is infused with UK-based talent and celebrates the music that would form the basis of the worldwide phenomenon that is Bollywood.
Unique in concept and distinctive in production, Namaste Bombay is Filmi without film – a soundtrack to your imagination – created during the most turbulent times. Yet, while the grip of the global pandemic restricted the world, Bhamra found a fertile freedom. He had long wanted to revisit the music of his youth and revive the authentic and fabulous Filmi sound that is missing from many modern productions. The advancement of digital technology and eternal budgetary battles have seen many producers seek shortcuts and sound libraries to replace orchestras.
To Bhamra and, no doubt, many others, these prerecorded beats, loops, and templates simply cannot match the engaging, evocative, and energising experience of adept artists performing together—the brilliance of the intangible creative spirit and the palpable human connection that no computer can replicate. With time now an unlikely ally and many desired artists abruptly available, Kuljit assembled his musical cast. A cast diverse in terms of geographical heritage and styles but united through song and the desire to create something special that honours the past and is yet altogether new.
As the world’s first Filmi-style album unattached to a cinematic production and the first Bollywood-focused record to be produced exclusively in the UK, Namaste Bombay features a wealth of British-based talent across its 38 tracks. An album designed, written, and recorded as if a Bollywood score, the songs touch upon the hallmarks of Hindi film music and celebrate the drama, creativity, emotion and fun that made Filmi such an entrancing, intoxicating spectacle. Traditional sounds and soaring strings lift vibrant vocals as universal themes are explored with the flair and flourish for which Bhamra’s music is known. Given Kuljit’s multicultural upbringing and considerable career collaborations, we see Western influences – a notable feature of Bollywood – sprinkled throughout the album with smooth jazz, Latin beats and rock riffs, adding extra flavour to an already rich musical recipe.
As the composer’s cherished childhood memories inspire Namaste Bombay, it is perhaps appropriate that the album’s first single—releasing June 7th, 2024—is Dur Dur Hum Jayenge. The song tells the tale of a woman leaving for faraway lands, taking with her only the treasured memory of her beloved.
Inspired by the golden melodies of yesteryear and fuelled by a commitment to preserving artistic integrity, Namaste Bombay weaves nostalgic threads of Filmi music with its own authentic sound while embracing the spirit of today. Artistry, authenticity, and imagination combine as we let the music play on.
