Dar Disku

Indian jazz and disco legend Asha Puthli seems to be popping up everywhere recently -- from reissues to remix compilations and brand new productions -- which can only be a good thing. Her voice is unabashedly sensual and strikingly ethereal, floating somewhere beyond time and space, and it’s this timeless quality that makes her a perfect fit for Dar Disku’s self-titled debut: on the shimmering “Baar Baar,” her vocals glide over heavy synth arpeggios, channeling Bollywood’s golden era. This ability to summon the past while keeping it new and interesting is central to the approach of Yemeni duo Mazen Almaskati and Vish M, both of whom have spent years excavating and reimagining the sounds of SWANA and South Asian music for their DJ sets. All of their experience comes together on Dar Disku, which nods to Algerian Raï grooves, Sudanese funk basslines, and retro drum machine patterns, revealing the musical throughlines connecting SWANA. Analog synths and lush instrumentation lend a nostalgic warmth to the album, but crisp contemporary production roots it firmly on today’s dancefloors.