INDO WAREHOUSE

Indo Warehouse - Who is behind it, How did it come together and what is the concept behind this project?

Indo Warehouse is a label and platform where we authentically integrate South Asian culture with electronic music. Indo Warehouse is led by Kahani and Kunal Merchant, based in New York City. Since last year, Indo Warehouse has released several singles, EPs and a label compilation featuring artists like Kahani, Kunal Merchant, Ethyr, AREUBLUE, Payal Jay, ShiShi and several others.

You are based in New York City. What do you think of the local underground scene there, and what influence would you say the city had on your sound?

We love it! On any given night you'll find the best local and global talent here – some who are new and emerging, and legends who defined the NYC sound. Indo Warehouse was born in NYC, so you're going to hear that influence in our music.

Can you tell us more about your South Asian roots, and how important is this to your brand?

We pride ourselves on representing our South Asian roots with love and great responsibility. Like the South Asian diaspora, our artists have diverse backgrounds and cultures, so we naturally include music, artists, instruments and languages from across the region.

We grew up in households where music and dance was core to our families, so it's been so much fun to see how those early influences inspire the music we create.

It's also been validating to hear from artists and guests at our event that we're building a platform that resonates with them. Bringing our culture authentically into the electronic music space, where we have largely been excluded or misappropriated, is also something we're excited to champion.

You have recently sold out «Festival of Love» at renowned Avant Gardner’s Great Hall in Brooklyn with over 3,000 attending. What was this experience like?

We went from 300 people at our first party to 3000 people at this one, in just a year. When you think about how we grew that quickly, it comes down to our desire to introduce and reimagine our culture to our guests by investing in end-to-end experiences.

From the moment you walk in the door, you're getting immersed into our culture. Our DJ lineup gives the guests an 8-hour soundtrack that serves them with each set building off the one prior to it. The decor, production and lighting transports them to an Indo-futuristic re-imagination of a South Asian Wedding (for example, the DJs played under a reimagination of a mandap). The dancers and performers bring theatrics through the evening, never allowing the stage to get stale.

When the night is over, you are welcomed outside by a hot cup of chai. Even though the night is over, the experience never stops re-playing in the guests' minds.

Indo Warehouse: Year One» VA Compilation was released at the end of 2022. Can you mention some of the artists that have taken part?

Year One came together in less than 6 weeks. We knew this had to be created because we wanted to celebrate our first year as a label. The 13-track release features original work from Kahani, Kunal Merchant, Ethyr, AREUBLUE, Payal Jay, ShiShi, Adi Rao, Rini, Nihal Singh, and several more. It's available to stream now on your favorite platform.

How would you describe the Indo Warehouse sound in your own words?

South Asian inspired-and-influenced electronic music for the soul.

In May, Indo Warehouse is making its way to Los Angeles with a new event at the Sound Nightclub. Can you tell us more about the theme around the event and what is to be expected from this showcase?

This is our first Indo Warehouse event outside of NYC! We're really excited to debut at one of the world's top clubs, Sound, where Indo Warehouse artists' Kahani, Kunal Merchant and Ethyr are taking over the entire night.

For this show and many of the dates on our upcoming U.S. Tour, we're stripping away the big production and going back to our club roots. We're focusing on highlighting our music with state-of-the-art sound systems and phenomenal lighting. We want this experience to be pure!

Just before we wrap things up, can you share the message you want to spread to the world?

Indo Warehouse will show the world another side of South Asian culture and music.

Please experience this with us! Find our music and tour dates at instagram.com/indo.warehouse