In conversation w/
Indo Warehouse
OCTOBER 10, 2024
© INDO WAREHOUSE
Indo Warehouse, the boundary-pushing NYC-based collective known for their innovative blend of South Asian roots and electronic dance music, is expanding their global influence by completing their debut tour across Africa. Co-founded by Kahani and Kunal Merchant, Indo Warehouse has redefined dance music by seamlessly integrating South Asian heritage with contemporary electronic sounds. After their monumental nine-city U.S. tour and massive success across Europe and India, they’ve now brought their immersive Indo House experience to Africa for the very first time.
The tour, which kicked off on September 13th at Johannesburg’s iconic Truth nightclub, marked a pivotal moment for Indo Warehouse as they merged their unique sound with Africa’s rich musical traditions. With stops in cities like Durban, Nairobi, and Mauritius, the duo created an unforgettable sonic experience that celebrated the intersection of cultures, rhythms, and identities. This tour has come at a time when global interest in genre-bending, culturally rooted music is at an all-time high, making Indo Warehouse one of the most exciting collectives on the global stage.
In this interview, we dive deep with the collective to discuss the inspiration behind their African tour, the cultural fusion within their music, and how their distinctive sound continues to evolve in new territories. From sold-out shows at the Brooklyn Mirage to their current African adventure, Indo Warehouse is on a mission to connect diverse audiences through the universal language of music.
© INDO WAREHOUSE
How did the idea of bringing Indo Warehouse to Africa first come about?
Visiting Africa has always been a dream! We believe that our sound will resonate with people everywhere, but there is a very unique connection with South Asians across Africa, and we wanted to explore how strong this was. We were blown away by the reaction and support we received from communities in South Africa, Kenya and Mauritius.
How do you feel the African music scene aligned with Indo Warehouse’s fusion of South Asian sounds?
We are big fans and students of the Afro house movement. There are so many artists we admire, and we were shocked to see so many attend our show in Johannesburg. We love seeing the influence of African sounds across the world now, and one day hope that our sound will be recognized and respected in a similar fashion.
Was Kahani’s new release of “Yalla” timed intentionally to align with your African tour, considering its fusion of African elements? Or was it a happy coincidence that the track aligned so well with the themes of the tour? How did the rich cultural histories of both regions influence the production of the song?
Thanks for noticing this. This was absolutely timed with this tour. In fact we have several Afro-Indo tracks in production at this moment. We were glad this one was ready to release during the tour. The rich cultural heritage of both communities are very present in this song and in our sets, but this song is especially special because it features the incredible Stevo Atambire. One of Kahani’s standout edits (unofficial remixes) ‘Jee Karda Movement’ takes Stevo and Ahmed Spins Anchor Point and blends it with Sukhwinder Singh’s ‘Aaj Mera Jee Karda’. To be able to create an original record with Stevo and our good friend, DJ H, was a true full circle moment.
What were some of the standout moments from your performances in Johannesburg, Durban, Nairobi, and Mauritius? Were there any challenges you faced?
Each show was unique and enabled us to meet so many people from each city, and learn more about the South Asian communities there, their history, and how our sound reached them. In Johannesburg, we were blown away that some of our favourite artists attended the show, and legends Zakes Bantwini and Kareyndasoul, played alongside us. In Durban, the promoter built a massive tent and drove in sound and lighting to create a special space for us. In Nairobi, not only did we play at the brand new Koda club, but we also spent two magical days exploring the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where we saw more than 20 lions. And finally in Mauritius, we performed in front of more than 2000 people in a massive space. The energy in that room was incredible.
The only challenge I can think of was us not having more time to spend in each of these cities, and Africa, in general.
© INDO WAREHOUSE
How did audiences in Africa respond to your “Indo House” sound, and was it different from what you’ve experienced elsewhere?
We weren’t sure how the sound would resonate, but given the strong ticket sales in each city, we were confident that they had an idea of what we were going to play. So in a sense, we had our “hits” prepared to play, but we were really surprised that we could go much deeper into our crates, touching on different electronic sounds, and testing some new music.
How do you think this African tour has shaped Indo Warehouse’s sound going forward? How has touring in Africa impacted your vision for Indo Warehouse’s future global projects?
I think this tour has given us great confidence that touring Africa will become an annual trip for us. We also see an opportunity for more collaboration with African artists, which will enable us to grow our sound and create something special. We feel very fortunate that this first tour was so successful.
What were some of your favourite ways to unwind and recharge in the different cities you performed in?
We were on the go pretty regularly, but as I mentioned above, the Safari was an incredible experience that we won’t ever forget. We also spent a few days in Cape Town, where we used the time to calibrate and refocus ourselves.
That said, the most inspiring part of the trip was connecting with so many incredible people and artists. To find “new family” in a place we’ve never visited is something difficult to put into words.
How did it feel to conclude your first-ever tour in Africa? Which city was your favourite? Would you return? And how did the experience compare to your expectations?
This is a trick question lol. Each city and experience was unique, honestly. We would love to visit each city again, and continue to build our sound in Africa. We’re looking forward to visiting annually now. We’re hooked!
© INDO WAREHOUSE
In conversation w/ Indo Warehouse
OCTOBER 10, 2024
© INDO WAREHOUSE
Indo Warehouse, the boundary-pushing NYC-based collective known for their innovative blend of South Asian roots and electronic dance music, is expanding their global influence by completing their debut tour across Africa. Co-founded by Kahani and Kunal Merchant, Indo Warehouse has redefined dance music by seamlessly integrating South Asian heritage with contemporary electronic sounds. After their monumental nine-city U.S. tour and massive success across Europe and India, they’ve now brought their immersive Indo House experience to Africa for the very first time.
The tour, which kicked off on September 13th at Johannesburg’s iconic Truth nightclub, marked a pivotal moment for Indo Warehouse as they merged their unique sound with Africa’s rich musical traditions. With stops in cities like Durban, Nairobi, and Mauritius, the duo created an unforgettable sonic experience that celebrated the intersection of cultures, rhythms, and identities. This tour has come at a time when global interest in genre-bending, culturally rooted music is at an all-time high, making Indo Warehouse one of the most exciting collectives on the global stage.
In this interview, we dive deep with the collective to discuss the inspiration behind their African tour, the cultural fusion within their music, and how their distinctive sound continues to evolve in new territories. From sold-out shows at the Brooklyn Mirage to their current African adventure, Indo Warehouse is on a mission to connect diverse audiences through the universal language of music.
© INDO WAREHOUSE
How did the idea of bringing Indo Warehouse to Africa first come about?
Visiting Africa has always been a dream! We believe that our sound will resonate with people everywhere, but there is a very unique connection with South Asians across Africa, and we wanted to explore how strong this was. We were blown away by the reaction and support we received from communities in South Africa, Kenya and Mauritius.
How do you feel the African music scene aligned with Indo Warehouse’s fusion of South Asian sounds?
We are big fans and students of the Afro house movement. There are so many artists we admire, and we were shocked to see so many attend our show in Johannesburg. We love seeing the influence of African sounds across the world now, and one day hope that our sound will be recognized and respected in a similar fashion.
Was Kahani’s new release of “Yalla” timed intentionally to align with your African tour, considering its fusion of African elements? Or was it a happy coincidence that the track aligned so well with the themes of the tour? How did the rich cultural histories of both regions influence the production of the song?
Thanks for noticing this. This was absolutely timed with this tour. In fact we have several Afro-Indo tracks in production at this moment. We were glad this one was ready to release during the tour. The rich cultural heritage of both communities are very present in this song and in our sets, but this song is especially special because it features the incredible Stevo Atambire. One of Kahani’s standout edits (unofficial remixes) ‘Jee Karda Movement’ takes Stevo and Ahmed Spins Anchor Point and blends it with Sukhwinder Singh’s ‘Aaj Mera Jee Karda’. To be able to create an original record with Stevo and our good friend, DJ H, was a true full circle moment.
What were some of the standout moments from your performances in Johannesburg, Durban, Nairobi, and Mauritius? Were there any challenges you faced?
Each show was unique and enabled us to meet so many people from each city, and learn more about the South Asian communities there, their history, and how our sound reached them. In Johannesburg, we were blown away that some of our favourite artists attended the show, and legends Zakes Bantwini and Kareyndasoul, played alongside us. In Durban, the promoter built a massive tent and drove in sound and lighting to create a special space for us. In Nairobi, not only did we play at the brand new Koda club, but we also spent two magical days exploring the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where we saw more than 20 lions. And finally in Mauritius, we performed in front of more than 2000 people in a massive space. The energy in that room was incredible.
The only challenge I can think of was us not having more time to spend in each of these cities, and Africa, in general.
© INDO WAREHOUSE
How did audiences in Africa respond to your “Indo House” sound, and was it different from what you’ve experienced elsewhere?
We weren’t sure how the sound would resonate, but given the strong ticket sales in each city, we were confident that they had an idea of what we were going to play. So in a sense, we had our “hits” prepared to play, but we were really surprised that we could go much deeper into our crates, touching on different electronic sounds, and testing some new music.
How do you think this African tour has shaped Indo Warehouse’s sound going forward? How has touring in Africa impacted your vision for Indo Warehouse’s future global projects?
I think this tour has given us great confidence that touring Africa will become an annual trip for us. We also see an opportunity for more collaboration with African artists, which will enable us to grow our sound and create something special. We feel very fortunate that this first tour was so successful.
What were some of your favourite ways to unwind and recharge in the different cities you performed in?
We were on the go pretty regularly, but as I mentioned above, the Safari was an incredible experience that we won’t ever forget. We also spent a few days in Cape Town, where we used the time to calibrate and refocus ourselves.
That said, the most inspiring part of the trip was connecting with so many incredible people and artists. To find “new family” in a place we’ve never visited is something difficult to put into words.
How did it feel to conclude your first-ever tour in Africa? Which city was your favourite? Would you return? And how did the experience compare to your expectations?
This is a trick question lol. Each city and experience was unique, honestly. We would love to visit each city again, and continue to build our sound in Africa. We’re looking forward to visiting annually now. We’re hooked!
© INDO WAREHOUSE