Listen: ilaiyaraaja - Synth Pop & Electro Funk From Tamil Films

For the last 15 years, Bombay Connection has specialised in unearthing rare Bollywood vinyl of the 60s, 70s and 80s, becoming the leading expert in the field.

Notwithstanding the contemporary interest in Bollywood grooves, label founder Edo Bouman is dedicated to issuing a series of Bollywood’s most funky, infectious and fascinating tracks, digging up not only the best and rarest sounds, but also gathering together a wealth of information and unique visual material.

Previous collections ‘The Bombay Connection’, ‘Bombshell Baby Of Bombay’ and Charanjit Singh’s ‘Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat’ (now well regarded as one of the first acid house records of all time) all gained much acclaim among DJs, collectors, connoisseurs and critics alike.

Their latest release is a compilation of tracks from South Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja a.k.a "The Maestro", who used to incorporate minimal beats and synthetic arrangements to create an addictive and captivating "electro synth-pop" sound. To date, in a career spanning more than 30 years, he has composed over 4500 songs and provided film scores for more than 950 Indian films in various languages.

"Hard electro-funk and sweet synth-pop are not genres you would expect from India. Yet, in the late 80s, electronic beats and synths were eagerly embraced by the film industry of South India along with kung fu fights, aerobics, sunglasses and jogging outfits. The rich and funky Tamil grooves of the early 80s transformed into stripped electronic synthesizer music." - Bombay Connection

The CD comes packaged with a 30 page booklet with info on all the featured films. To buy yourself a copy you can head over here. Alternatively you can listen to an album sampler below:

http://soundcloud.com/experimedia/ilaiyaraaja-fire-star-synth