DJ Swami

 Diamond J ‘Swami’ Duggal is a legendary alternative British-Asian producer whose originality and skills from the studio to the club have labelled him a true international pioneer and musical innovator. An influential figure in creating the hip-hop-ragga-bhangra sound of the nineties, DJ Swami played a major role in the songwriting and production of the multi-million selling Apache Indian classic album ‘No Reservations’ with the hits ‘Chok There’, ‘Arranged Marriage’ and with Maxi Priest on ‘Fe Real’.

From early Ivor Novello, Mercury Music Prize and Brit Award nominations to winning Best Producer at the UKAMA’s in 2005, DJ Swami’s musical vision is a flawless combination of the hottest electronic and alternative hip-hop sounds of today with the futuristic desi bhangra eastern influences of the Indian sub-continent.

DJ Swami, born Diamond Jyoti Duggal, grew up in the Handsworth district of Birmingham, England in a melting pot of second-generation Indian and Jamaican multi-culturalism. By the age of 12, this musical prodigy was already playing guitar in local reggae and rock bands. While learning the craft of music through listening to records by Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, Kraftwerk, Laxmikant Pyarelal and local Birmingham artists Steel Pulse and UB40, DJ Swami witnessed his first glance of a new musical hybrid and what was ultimately to become his life’s passion.

In 1997, Diamond started the group Swami with drummer and brother Simon ‘Subs’ Duggal, vocalist Taz Singh and Indian percussionist Kam Bura. The band performed a number of local and European shows before releasing their debut cult album ‘Desi Nu Skool Beatz’ on their SubDub label in 1999. The album brought together a new open-mindedness of influences from the Indian sub-continent and the alternative, electronic club mayhem of the west unlike any predecessor. The album was given an international release in 2000 on Nation Records (Beggars Banquet) and the new hybrid sound of “Desi Beats’ was born. The guitar surfing electronic title track ‘Mehbooba’ went on to feature in the Olsen Twins Warner Brothers movie ‘New York Minute’ (2003).

Super-producer DJ Swami took to the studio in 2002 to work with Shania Twain on her follow album to “Come On Over’ entitled ‘Up!’. A totally international production of the album co-ordinated between legendary producer Mutt Lange, Diamond and Simon Duggal resulted in an unprecedented journey of music from Nashville to Mumbai via London. Shania Twain’s ‘Up!’ topped the American Billboard for six weeks in late 2002 with multi-platinum sales exceeding 15 million.

Testament to a constant need to push the boundaries of international music, the Swami follow-up album ‘So Who AM I?’ on SonyBMG in 2005 scaled new heights of mind-altering musical richness. The title track ‘DesiRock’ embraced clubs the world over with DJ Swami’s unique leftfield electronic beats and anthemic bhangra melodies and reached even wider audiences in the EA Games FIFA World Cup 2006 video game as well as the UK movie ‘Mischief Night’ (2006).

DJ Swami has recently been touring with his band Swami and putting finishing touches to his enigmatic solo album due for release in 2007. Featuring collaborations from the USA, South Africa, France, England and India, be prepared for some crazy club surprises in 2007…

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