Amongst the thriving electronic music scene in the UK, we are being blessed to witness raw, electrifying talents shaping and nuancing their approach in front of our ears. Being increasingly – and justly – recognised as one of the most progressive sonic categories that float around in the wider music stratosphere, it feels like a new wonder-producer is being introduced to us more and more frequently. The latest artist to truly capture our imagination is Anish Kumar.

The ability to implement the sounds of different culture into a disparate genre is a craft within itself, and one that Kumar excels at. On Bollywood Super Hits! for instance, the producer adeptly merges Bollywood timbres and tendencies with house and disco inspired backdrops, breaking through the barriers of convention into a field of his own, exploring every crevice of his motley surroundings. Heavily backed by electronic tastemakers and icons for the aforementioned project as well as its predecessor, “Postcards”, Kumar has self-constructed a sonic house for him to inhabit – and he’s preparing to move in.

The rising artist’s latest body of work, A Mixtape By Anish Kumar, has just been announced, with a two new tracks, “Little Miss Dynamite” and “Mayfield Blues” unveiled alongside the news. Following on from the sun-kissed vibrance of “Praise”, the two fresh cuts continue to raise hype for the forthcoming tape. “Little Miss Dynamite”, which was first heard as Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record In The World’ back in 2021, is a epitomisation of the talent and vision of Kumar, showcasing his silky disco sampling and snappy percussive nuance, whilst “Mayfield Blues” is a heady, groove-laden number that flaunts the producers versatility.

With the project looming in the atmosphere, we connect with Kumar to chat the bizarre curse of nostalgia, his previous bodies of work, and the next chapter in his artistic journey.

Listen to the new tracks…

Read the full interview…

Who and what influences you in creation?
Mostly other people’s music, both new and old! I try to be reactive and inspired by the shifting musical landscapes of today, whilst retaining my principal influences which have been hip hop, big room dance and disco. Having said that, becoming too derivative of other people’s work is a temptation that I do my best to resist.

How did you first start making music?
Messing around in Garageband when I was 11.

How did you discover your sound?
I don’t think I ever discovered anything, my sound unintentionally and unavoidably reflects an assimilation of my tastes over many years.

How would you define the essence of your style and approach?
It’s all about having a story behind a body of work for me, I get bored putting out ‘dance singles’ that are purely functional.

You combine old and new school tendencies so acutely – how do you manage to concoct such an individual but familiar sound?
It’s the bizarre curse of being nostalgic for a time I wasn’t around for, and attempting to make something that pays homage to those periods – I think that’s where the familiarity comes from. In terms of a ‘new school’ sound, that’s probably a result of me making everything in the box and being terrified of hardware.

You are studying to be a vet whilst trying to make a name for yourself in the music game – how do you juggle the two?
I don’t have a method, I just do it (arguably not very well).

We loved Postcards, how do you feel about the project looking back on it now?
Thanks for asking this, yeah it’s a weird one for me as it goes against my ‘body of work’ ethos – the tracks are a bit all over the place. Hummingbird is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever made so there’s that. The tunes seemed to connect with people so I’m happy with the outcome.

How has your sound changed since you first emerging with that tape?
It keeps changing all the time to be honest, and I hope it continues to. I always say in interviews that I’m keen not to box myself into one sound that people can expect from me – I just hope that people will come along for the ride with whatever I do next.

Bollywood Super Hits is a great celebration of your South Asian heritage, why is it important for you to shine a lot on this?
It’s all just music I love and grew up with, and it really strikes a chord with other South Asians in the live setting. I guess it’s a significant part of who I am and therefore I’m keen to showcase and celebrate it through my creative output.

Talk us through the creation of your new music and what does this new chapter represent for you?
“Little Miss Dynamite” is the tune that kicked off a lot of opportunities within music for me back in 2021 when Annie Mac named it her Hottest Record. I’m really excited to be able to finally get this out, specifically to the people who have been asking for it since then. It holds a really special place in my journey as an artist as I made it during lockdown after having been shown the original sample by my brother years previous. It has a hook that feels undeniable and I’ve gotten great feedback to everyone I’ve shown it to – especially my mum, who features on the cover in all her youth! It feels like a youthful song and hence occupies an earlier spot in the mixtape as a whole, and definitely acts as a microcosm of the project it is lifted from. This mixtape is equal parts autobiography and homage. I wrote it during lockdown in the UK, a period of time I spent discovering old soul and rockabilly records and adopting a new, unrestrained approach to sampling. Charged with a yearning for musical validation, I compiled the record in its earliest form and sent it around to anyone who would give it the time of day. I’m absolutely over the moon that three years on, I can bring this mixtape out in its updated form whilst retaining all of the initial hunger it was written with.

What do you want to achieve in your music career?
To be quite honest I want to make some critically acclaimed albums that are one day considered classics. Is that too much to ask for?

What else is to come from you?
I have around 6 projects in the works that are all at different stages of completion. After my mixtape comes out I have to assess which one makes most sense to release next. There’s more Bollywood Hits, more AK Cuts, a couple of albums, some Bandcamp exclusives, it’s all gonna be coming thick and fast!