Delhi's Lajpat Nagar is built from cultural hybridity. Originally established in the 1950s as a refugee settlement for Sindhi migrants fleeing Partition, it has since evolved into a dynamic enclave, continuously absorbing waves of newcomers from Afghanistan, Africa, and beyond. It is here, among these streets, that drummer, composer, and producer Tarun Balani finds both his inspiration and his creative home.

Tarun's latest single, 'Lajpat Nagar Sometimes', is a deeply personal reflection on heritage, migration, and musical identity. The track serves as the first glimpse into his upcoming album, 'Kadahin Milandaasin' which translates to 'When will we meet?', a question that echoes across generations, resonating with the experiences of those forced to leave home and rebuild elsewhere.

For the artist, this project is not just about nostalgia but about reckoning with history through sound. His grandfather, who migrated from Naushahro Feroze in Sindh to Delhi, once used the very space Tarun now occupies as a music studio for his own creative pursuits. In many ways, Lajpat Nagar Sometimes becomes a sonic palimpsest, layering the memories of a past generation with contemporary jazz-inflected improvisations.

Unlike the expected tropes of the Sindhi folk pastiche, Tarun chooses subtlety over overt references. The composition moves with a steady undercurrent of his cymbals, while pianist Sharik Hasan crafts melodic textures alongside trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and Finnish guitarist Olli Hirvonen. The interplay between instruments mimics the ebb and flow of a migrant’s journey; depicting longing, displacement, and adaptation.

With Kadahin Milandaasin, Tarun's turns his focus inward, exploring themes of migration, identity, and cultural memory. And within that, Lajpat Nagar is a character in its own right; shaping the way these stories are told, through music. More than just a tribute, it’s a meditation on what it means to hold onto legacy in a constantly shifting world.

Follow Tarun here and listen to the track below:

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