From Sitars To Synths: Annika Rani's Debut Mixtape Brings Indian Motifs To 70s Funk

We’re in the era of the throwback. From the revival of countless IPs in movies to the dominance of Y2K fashion trends, it seems that the current cultural zeitgeist is obsessed with reinventing the past. My favourite manifestation of this is in pop music, as the 2020s ushered in an era of disco grooves and ‘80s synths. I love the nostalgia of it all, the ability to sing along to something vaguely familiar but entirely new. While some people critique this return to form, considering it unoriginal, I think it’s anything but. It’s a reimagination, using our collective history and pool of knowledge to create entirely new experiences for the next generation. 

The beauty of multiculturalism is that it gives you a vast array of inspirations to draw from. For Kiwi musician Annika Rani, this manifests in a 70s funk and South Asian fusion that will leave you dancing in your seat. Her debut mixtape, ‘Spellbound’, dropped on October 11th; on the first listen-through, the six-track EP feels like an expedition into an entirely new musical reality. Rani is unafraid to experiment with her mix of South Asian and Western sounds, delivering a daring first project where her bold decision-making most definitely pays off.

The opening track, ‘Satisfied’, is where Rani told Homegrown she “felt that [she] had found [her] true art style.” The song leads us in with bright strings, using what sounds like a sitar and the stomping feet of a Bharatnatyam dancer wearing ghungroos to punctuate each measure. Funky bass lines start to shine through as the intro builds, only to cut to a guitar, a snare drum, and Rani’s sweet vocals in the first verse. The rest of the song continues this ebb and flow of Indian classical and Western 70s pop sounds, making it a fantastic introduction to eccentric, wonderful songs to come. 

When asked about her process in making ‘Spellbound’, Rani said she "felt like she was creating a new universe.” She told us, “It felt like I had opened up a treasure chest to build and play with every time I created something.”

And it truly does sound like she is drawing from a different set of tools than other musicians. Her incorporation of Indian elements isn’t a gimmick; it’s a weapon. Or, as Rani puts it, it's her “superpower”. My favourite track, ‘my saviour’, for instance, is an addictive, sultry blend of cultures and sounds. Electric guitars, sitars and Rani’s voice merge into one and sometimes the beat gives way to reveal glimpses of tablas playing in the back, only to whisk you away with rich vocal stacks. It’s like diving deeper and deeper into the ocean, unsure but excited for what you’ll find next.

Rani recently released the music video for ‘Feel’, the sixth and last track on the ‘Spellbound’ EP. A Bharatnatyam dancer moves with Rani’s groovy synths and dreamy voice, visually and soncially depicting her intersection of two worlds. “Having a Bharatanatyam dancer in the ‘Feel’ music video felt so powerful and beautiful to me. She translated the lyrics with her movements in a way that no one else could,” Rani said. I’m inclined to agree; the feel-good track is elevated by the happiness I feel watching a craft I grew up with finding its spotlight with a whole new audience. Culture lives on through its reproduction and Rani’s work is proof that reinvigorating the old into something new is anything but boring. 

When asked about what comes next, Rani told us, “ I hope for my music to be a drawbridge to connect and resonate with a lot more people to come, and to keep creating as much as I can.” Selfishly, I hope for the same, because if this is just the beginning of Annika Rani, I can’t imagine what is yet to come. 

Follow Annika Rani here.

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