Crab Culture has been reshaping club culture in India by taking it out of the clubs. From cafes to restaurant kitchens, the collective has found ways to push music into spaces where it typically doesn’t belong and without the need for alcohol. They’ve been doing this for a while now, creating experiences that are not just about listening but about rethinking where and how electronic music can be consumed. Their YouTube channel documents these experiments, and their events challenge what an electronic music scene can look like in India.
One of the most talked-about experiments they pulled off was turning a Mumbai local train into a moving hip-hop rave. DJ Dhiraj took over a compartment, running a set from Borivali to Bandra, flipping a mundane commute into something completely different. Now, they’ve done it again, this time from Borivali to Churchgate, and they brought New York-based Baalti along for the ride.
Baalti is a duo that's been making a lot of noise internationally. Their music pulls from old Indian records, UK bass, South Asian percussion, and high-energy club sounds. In the past few years, they’ve gone from underground favourites to festival regulars, playing Glastonbury, Dialled In, and MELT, and touring across the US, UK, and Europe. If you listen to NTS, Rinse FM, or Boiler Room, chances are you’ve already heard their tracks — probably some unreleased ones too, since they’ve built a reputation around dropping IDs that fans obsess over.
Their upcoming EP, 'Mela', is already getting attention from the right people. It’s coming out on Steel City Dance Discs, a label known for putting out some of the most forward-thinking club music. DJs like dBridge, Roza Terenzi, and DJ ADHD are already supporting it, and it’s been played across platforms like Rinse FM, BBC Radio 1, and Keep Hush. They’ve got a packed year ahead, with gigs at Four Tet’s Under the K-Bridge in NYC and a sold-out show at Earth Hackney in London with Ahadadream.
But before all that, there was this homegrown gig, that took them from Borivali to Churchgate. Baalti delivered a high-energy set that was nothing short of electric. They blended '70s funk, drum and bass, breaks, and UK garage with an eclectic mix of old Tamil songs from the '90s, Punjabi hits, and soulful Bollywood classics. The was a uniquely desi club mix featuring Indian percussions like the Marathi dhol and tabla. It was a great example of a wholesome mix of the old and the new showcasing the scope and allure of homegrown sounds in club culture.
Mumbai’s local trains are often called the city’s lifeline, moving millions daily. Music is already a part of the commute for people whether through headphones or spontaneous human choirs formed by co-passengers. With Crab Culture, it just took a new shape that brings two worlds together. In travelling from Borivali to Churchgate and all 22 stations between the two, Baalti also took us on a journey through the soundscapes that make up India.
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