Following the successful re-release of REVOLUTION RISING on Universal Music India, Fairtilizer interviews dimmSummer of NYC-based High Chai Recordings about the labels’ past, present, & future. Check the Q&A session and exclusive DJ mix, dimm summer sessions vol.1, featuring electro bass heavy bangers from around the globe below:

How did High Chai Recordings get started? What have been the biggest highlights since the label’s debut in the Asian/left-field electronica scene?
Dimm: Actually HCR is a reincarnation of High Chai Records which was launched in 1998 by DK/Bollygirl, with collaborative 12” releases with Ming & FS and their Madhattan Studios label. Together they released OmZone’s Tantra which was featured on Raymond Roker’s Altered States Of Drum & Bass compilation (OM Records 1999). The original release of the Tantra a year earlier benchmarked one of the first US vinyl pressings in the global Asian electronic scene. URB, XLR8R and Mixer gave the releases 4.5 stars and rave reviews. In 2008, DK, Cenzo and I relaunched as High Chai Recordings. HCR saw DK’s GOONDA project with Cenzo garner critical praise on the BBC. The follow-up was my Revolution Rising: Ethnotechno.com compilation which culled together an unprecedented who’s who of names from Asian electronica scene. We’re quite democratic at HCR… we go with our passions and curate and present projects we truly believe in. In 2010, HCR followed-up with Nu Asian Soundz which produced a Top-Ten Beatport label standing with B.R.E.E.D’s remix of Jalebee Cartel’s Mirrors.

We heard how one of your recent compilations, REVOLUTION RISING: ethnotechno.com vol.1 presented by dimmSummer, originally released on High Chai Recordings, was picked up by Universal Music India. What has the response been so far in the Subcontinent?
Dimm: On our 2008 trip to India, DK and I were excited to see a legit underground electronic scene percolating with producer-djs like DJ Nasha, Nucleya and Jalebee Cartel. HCR had just released GOONDA: Third World Radio and I was in the midst of compiling Revolution Rising. We were lucky enough to catch old friends Ges-E and Osmani’s stellar set in Mumbai and asked them to be on the comp. RR grew in that vein, one invitation at a time and was released in June 2009 on HCR. Universal optioned the release and a high-end package was shipped this May to fine retailers all over India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The response has been strong so far. The India version of RR features the RD Burman classic Mehbooba remixed by Nucleya into a pulsating electro banger and it’s exciting to be a part of India’s exposure to a real “Underground” movement.

Will physical formats always be a priority in your distribution strategy, or do you foresee yourself focusing only on digital albums in the future? How has your business model and marketing strategy changed to support running a record label in the evolving digital music landscape?
Dimm: With the advent of Traktor and Serato there’s been resurgence of limited edition vinyl that can be easily swapped with turntable controllers. While we love CD art and the feel of vinyl, digital distribution is just too cost effective to ignore. Artist-driven endeavors like GOONDA releases and LOUD OK PLEASE warrant a more physical approach so Bolly and Cenzo prefer to couple digital with hardcopy. The only downside we see with digital is competing business models such as pay-per-play vs. subscription. We don’t think subscription services will be the way forward for smaller artists/labels when the 99-cent download is standard. As a label we’ve seen the backend returns on the subscription model and it just doesn’t make sense if you’re not Beyonce or U2.

As an NYC-based label that showcases electronic music from around the globe, what platforms do you use to facilitate your A&R? How do you compare the scene and music in NYC with your global counterparts?
Dimm: The running joke in NYC was “there is no scene.” But we think that’s changing with many outfits (one that’s 15 years old now) becoming NYC institutions. There are quite a few long-running parties with their unique following and vibe, and that can only be a good thing. There’s always room for great music and more importantly good vibes where new sounds can be discovered. This diversity has recently found much of its strength and growth in fan base widely due to the internet and its role in facilitating popular (and underground) culture. We see this same thing happening in the major cities in India and digital platforms like Fairtilzer are key to their success.

How do you engage your growing international fan-base that is so spread out across the globe? What tools do you utilize to harness the direct-to-fan potential of the Internet? Do you think the trend of artists and labels giving away MP3 releases for free stimulates great audience awareness and purchases for other releases/merchandise/events in the future?
Dimm: As an indie label, we def believe in the power of the the Internet… Of course we’re not keen on illegal downloads, which is why services like Fairtilizer and all the competitors are necessary to fill the gap between labels and the new internet audience. The trend of free MP3s definitely helps spread awareness of artists and funds a healthier head-count at gigs, but as an independent label it doesn’t make sense to unleash full artist tracks on streaming services just to get a few comments. There needs to be a fair medium between fan, service and label. To be viable as a product and a brand, audiences need to understand label worth and what we’re legitimately bringing to our fanbase.

What’s next from High Chai headquarters that we should be checking for in the near future?
Dimm: The HCR bunker is very excited to deliver B.R.E.E.D’s new single Sound Killer and his heavy remix of Juakali’s Come From Yard as a Beatport exclusive in late July. Following that will be our first partnering with Patriarch Recordings to release the Barbouze EP, traversing electro-house and lush, angular electronica. LOUD.OK.PLEASE will bring you the best of the Live band/Indo-Indie scene and Nu asian soundZ vol.2 is already nearing completion for a fall release.

Exclusive dj mix from HIGH CHAI RECORDINGS’ dimmSummer
Tracklist:

barbouze :: auto mattic [high chai / patriarch recordings]

major lazor :: when you hear the bassline [downtown]

kush arora :: humidifier [kush arora productions]

baobinga :: raggipahop VS. busta rhymes [steak house]

aaren san :: apes from space -dirtyloud remix [aelaektropopp] VS. MIA XXXO -SBTRKT remix [interscope]

l-vis 1990 :: united groove -baobinga & id remix [mad decent]

bassnectar :: cozza frenzy -megabass remix [om]

chasing shadows :: amirah [hench]

jalebee cartel :: mirrors -b.r.e.e.d remix [high chai recordings]

liquid stranger :: fist of fury [high chai recordings]

b.r.e.e.d :: sound killer [high chai recordings]

deekline :: party party feat. top cat -jfb mix [rat records]

subatomic soundsystem :: respect my shit [subatomic sound]

faithless :: sun to me -emalkay remix [white]

bop :: nothing makes any sense -blu mar ten remix [medschool]

rod azlan :: jah liv -starkey remix [dfa]

rihanna :: rude boy -tc remix [def jam]

sub focus :: splash feat. coco [ram records]

High Chai Fairtilizer profile
High Chai website

Other Links:
dimmSummer Myspace
Bollygirl Myspace
ethnotechno.com website