Anish Kumar interview: “It can’t sound like it was obviously made in a computer”
Bollywood greats get the Kumar treatment
Anish Kumar will, we suspect, be everywhere in 2023. He’s already come to the attention of Ninja Tune’s Technicolour offshoot and had his low key early releases hailed by the likes of Pete Tong and Annie Mac. Even better than that, Four Tet has expressed his love for the North East-based producer and DJ and included him on his Finsbury Park bash back in August. With his ’Bollywood Super Hits!’ EP, which sees him giving a modern overhaul to a few of his favourite producers from the genre, set to surface next month, we thought it was time to put a few questions to the man himself…
We know you’re of South-Asian origin – give us a brief summary of how/when your family found their way to the UK and where you’re currently based.
My parents came over in ’98 and had me in ’99! My dad qualified as a doctor and my mum a teacher in India, and came to the North East of England to work and start a family. I grew up in Washington and now live between there and Cambridge where I’m training as a veterinarian.
What are your earliest musical memories – early listening, parents’ tastes etc, first instrument and embarrassing bands here please!
I learnt piano as a kid but hated grades and performed very poorly on them – instead I would always quite enjoy trying to play songs I heard on the radio by ear. Early on I would listen to the music on my dad’s iPod on long journeys – the origins of an unashamed love for ABBA.
What set up do you use and how do the tracks tend to come about – is there a pattern to what comes first and last?
I think I’ve identified a few patterns over the years – the bulk of the idea of a track tends to have to be hammered out within a day or two. I quickly lose enthusiasm if I can’t nail it soon enough. There usually has to be a focal element – a hook, something melodic and rough sounding. It can’t sound like it was obviously made in a computer. And finally I think a big trend in my approach to production is that I conceptualise and make tracks as bodies of work – EPs and albums, never as standalone singles.
The EP is called ’Bollywood Super Hits!’ – what’s the thinking behind the concept?
These are a collection of edits I’d made to play out in my sets this year. They all riff off of Bollywood samples – songs I’ve been listening to since I was a child. Each one pays tribute to an iconic playback singer or artist.
Tell us about how the hook up with Four Tet came about? He’s been quite the supporter, hasn’t he?
I sent him this release and he really liked Sadhana, so started playing it in his sets. I couldn’t be happier
We know you’ve got tons of other stuff on the boil, including some collabs – is there anything you can hint at for people to look out for?
I’ve got so many songs I want to release, they just have to come at the right time and in the right packaging. If anyone remembers a tune of mine called Little Miss Dynamite, I can confirm it’s on its way next year.
Pre-order your copy of ’Bollywood Super Hits!’ here, expected in stock on January 20