About Amarrass Records
Based in New Delhi, India, Amarrass Records is a multi-faceted independent record label, artist management company, and event production enterprise. Since 2009, we've been dedicated to a mission of making music sustainable by preserving and reviving traditional folk music and nurturing the creative spirit of both artists and folk instrument makers. Guided by the principles of fair trade, we connect diverse musical cultures with a global audience through high-quality album releases, international tours, and curated events. We are also at the forefront of vinyl revival in India, operating a facility that produces hand-cut records to present our diverse catalog in high fidelity.
Achievements & Accolades
Critical Recognition and Global Media
Amarrass Records has established a global benchmark for high-fidelity field recordings, earning international acclaim for preserving the soul of folk traditions. Amarrass’ work has been recognized in the UNESCO Creative Economies Report and featured in NPR, The New York Times, BBC, Songlines, Rolling Stone India, The WIRE-Adventures in Modern Sound, The Independent, fROOTS, Downbeat, amongst others.
Mitha Bol: Rajasthan Field Recordings Vol. 1
Capturing the raw essence of Manganiyar music.
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Banko Ghodo
An evocative exploration of the desert’s rhythmic heritage.
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Sakar Khan: At Home
An intimate recording of a master in his element.
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Most recently, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto made a 3 part docuseries on our work called Searching for the Blues.
The Kamaicha Revival Project
The revival of the Kamaicha with Shankara Suthar, the last known Kamaicha maker in India, is a cornerstone of our work. It was when recording at home Sakar Khan when he mentioned that there is just 1 Kamaicha maker, as the rest do the touristy jobs; later this was confirmed by the late John Singh of Jaipur Virasat Foundation.
At the time, Shankara was making sofas in Pune!! Adding to the work of archiving music, I realised revival of the instrument making was crucial to this work and since all this work was not-for-profit, we started Amarrass Society for Performing Arts. We called Shankara back to Jaisalmer and gave him an order of 2 kamaichas to be made under the supervision of Sakar ji, and the revival began!!
Impact and Global Outreach
In service to its mission, Amarrass has produced 15 albums, many of them critically acclaimed, and over 300 music videos published on our channel in the public domain. We have toured musicians such as
LAKHA KHAN & BARMER BOYS
across
North America, Europe, and India.
Live Curations: The Amarrass Stage
Over 100 Shows
Here, we have presented Indian audiences to music from around the world by presenting artists such as:
Vieux Farka Toure (Mali), Madou Diabate (Mali), Baba Zula (Turkey), DJ Tudo (Brazil), Dawda Jobarteh (Ghana), Grammy nominee Bombino (Niger), Painted Caves (Palestine/USA), and Guy Buttery (South Africa), among others.
at The Amarrass Desert Music Festival and Amarrass Nights
(at Lodi and later at Sunder Nursery).
A number of our albums have received 5star ratings by Songlines, UK.Most recently,
Aga Khan Museum, Toronto made a 3 part docuseries on our work called Searching for the blues.
"4 Stars! Incandescent Sufi voices that incite ecstasy."
"4 Stars! Incandescent Sufi voices that incite ecstasy."
"4 Stars! Incandescent Sufi voices that incite ecstasy."
"4 Stars! Incandescent Sufi voices that incite ecstasy."
The Amarrass Story
We operate on the principles of fair trade, working directly with folk musicians and instrument makers to ensure ancient traditions thrive in the modern global economy.
Global Policy Recognition
Our sustainable arts model is featured in the UNESCO Creative Economies Report as a benchmark for cultural preservation.
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Masterful
Archiving
We have produced over 300 music videos and 15 high-fidelity albums, documenting living legends for the public domain and future generations.
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Analog
Pioneers
Analog Pioneers Amarrass operates India’s first boutique hand-cut vinyl workshop, reviving the warmth of analog sound for folk field recordings.
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Visual
Legacy
The Aga Khan Museum (Toronto) produced the three-part docuseries Searching for the Blues, chronicling our journey through the Thar Desert to document the roots of the Indian Blues.
Watch the Video
Global Media Authority
Our work is consistently featured by The New York Times, NPR, BBC, The WIRE, Rolling Stone India, The Independent, fROOTS, and Downbeat.
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Albums & Artist Milestones
We operate on the principles of fair trade, working directly with folk musicians and instrument makers to ensure ancient traditions thrive in the modern global economy.
Critical Acclaim and Reviews
5 Star Excellence
Amarrass releases have earned the prestigious 5 star rating from Songlines UK, including the debut double album Mitha Bol / Banko Ghodo and Sakar Khan’s At Home.
The Lakha Khan Legacy
Amarrass releases have earned the prestigious 5 star rating from Songlines UK, including the debut double album Mitha Bol / Banko Ghodo and Sakar Khan’s At Home.
Touring the World
Amarrass releases have earned the prestigious 5 star rating from Songlines UK, including the debut double album Mitha Bol / Banko Ghodo and Sakar Khan’s At Home.
Global Artist
Collaborations
Amarrass has presented and recorded a diverse roster of international icons at the Amarrass Desert Music Festival and Amarrass Nights.
Bombino (Niger)
Grammy nominee and Tuareg guitar legend
Sona Jobarteh (Gambia)
The world’s first female Kora virtuoso
Vieux Farka Touré and Madou Sidiki Diabaté (Mali)
Masters of West African string traditions
BaBa ZuLa (Turkey)
Psychedelic folk rock innovators
Painted Caves (Palestine/USA) & Guy Buttery (South Africa)
Pioneers of global acoustic fusion
Our Artists
Since our inception in 2010, Amarrass has had the privilege of working with a host of stellar artists, including the late Padma Shri Sakar Khan, sindhi sarangi maestro Lakha Khan, the "Global ambassadors of Rajasthani folk" Barmer Boys, and the 71st generation kora virtuoso from Mali, Madou Sidiki Diabatè.
Our roster also includes explorations in psychedelic modern music with Painted Caves, and the shamanic sounds of The Blue Infinity. From the introduction of underground electronic and dub artist such and Audio Pervert, Da Saz to Ravana in collaboration with folk-satirical poet and musician Jumme Khan, as well as the addition of Rehmat-e-Nusrat, a Sufiana qawwali group from Uttarakhand, and internationally acclaimed brothers Ghewar & Firoze on the kamaicha and dholak, we continue working with amazing artists from India and around the world, irrespective of the genre.
Rehmat-e-Nusrat
Sufiana Qawwals
from Uttarakhand, India
Rehmat-e-Nusrat are a group of self trained young hindu musicians from Uttarakhand who bring a fresh new perspective to the timeless tradition of qawwali music. The group, formed in 2014 by lead vocalist and harmonium virtuoso Sarvjeet Tamta, presents qawwalis by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sufiyana kalaams by great poets, and original compositions. Signed to Amarrass Records in 2019, they have introduced Sufi and qawwali music to new audiences across North India.
Royal Opera House, Mumbai
India Habitat Centre, Delhi
Museo Camera Museum
Windmills Craftworks
FabIndia
Throttle Shrottle
Reflections from Naseeruddin Shah
and Ratna Pathak Shah
after experiencing Rehmat-e-Nusrat live
Barmer Boys
India's Global Sufi Folk Ambassadors
Barmer Boys are the next generation of performers carrying forward the centuries-old musical traditions of the Manganiyars. As global ambassadors of Rajasthani folk and Sufi music, the trio brings a bold, 21st-century "folk with attitude" to every stage. Their high-energy performances seamlessly blend soulful Sufi kalaams and Krishna bhajans with celebratory wedding songs and boisterous jams powered by live beatboxing.
Formed and conceived by Amarrass Records, the group debuted at the Amarrass Desert Music Festival in 2011. Since then, they have performed over 250 concerts in 25 countries, appeared on MTV Coke Studio, and collaborated with global icons like Vieux Farka Touré and Bombino.
The Legacy Continues
In September 2024, the group mourned the loss of their iconic lead vocalist, Mangey Khan. In mid-2025, the band entered a new era with Bhura Khan as their lead singer. A relative of the legendary Lakha Khan, Bhura brings the same depth and resonant devotion that defined the group's origins. He is joined by:
Magada Khan
The steady heartbeat of the band on the dholak.
Sawai Khan
A master of the morchang, bhapang, and khartal, who also provides the band's signature contemporary edge through self-taught beatboxing.
The group continues to perform internationally, with recent tribute shows for Mangey Khan taking place in December 2025.
International
WOMAD (UK), Roskilde Festival (Denmark), Winnipeg Folk Festival (Canada), Clockenflap (Hong Kong), FMM Sines (Portugal), Ancient Trance (Germany), Wassermusik (Berlin), and Borneo World Music Expo. WOMAD(UK).
Domestic
Ziro Festival of Music (2015, 2025), NH7 Weekender, Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), and the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), Royal Opera House Mumbai.
Press Highlights From Across the World
A coverage of their journey and sound.
"4 Stars! Incandescent Sufi voices that incite ecstasy."
"Latitudes: Global Music You Must Hear."
"A whiff of fresh air in today’s folk scene."
Discography
Live in Berlin (2020, Amarrass Records)
Kesariya Balm (2017, Amarrass Records) – Debuted on Transglobal World Music Charts Top 40
At Home (2012, Amarrass Records) – 4 Stars, Songlines
Himali Mou
Mountain Folk from Kumaon
Himali Mou is aKumaoni folk band presenting folk music from the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India. Rarely heard outside of its birthplace, their music is a vibrant window into the rich cultural heritage of the Kumaon region of the Himalayas. The name "Himali Mou" literally translates to "Himalayan honey," a perfect description for their sweet, happy, high-energy sound.
The band is, in essence, the folk-music alter-ego of the acclaimed self trained Qawwals, Rehmat-e-Nusrat, with members regrouping to focus on the unique repertoire of Kumaoni folk with one addition, Sarvjeet’s brother, Chandrashekhar Tamta who is a kumaoni folk singer.
Lead vocalist and flautist Sarvjeet Tamta, who also leads Rehmat-e-Nusrat, guides the group in exploring these precious regional melodies.
Melodies of Bansuri, Dholak & Hudka
Folk Music from Kumaon, India.
Himali Mou's music is characterized by the sonorous melodies of the bansuri (bamboo flute) and the rhythmic pulses of the dholak and the Hudka (a local talking hand drums), infused with energetic chorus and claps. Their performances showcase a diverse array of musical styles integral to Kumaoni culture, including:
-
Jhora, Chanchari, and Chapeli: These are traditional song and dance forms performed at important ceremonies, festivals, and gatherings.
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Nyoli and Chaiti: Other distinct folk styles from the region.
Their compelling blend of traditional instrumentation and powerful vocals beautifully conveys the essence and complexity of the pahadi (mountain) musical tradition.
Jaipur Literature Festival
Ziro Festival of Music
Almora Literature Festival
India Habitat Centre
Travancore Palace (New Delhi)
Amarrass Nights (Delhi)
Himalayan Baithak
Windmills Craftworks
Royal Opera House, Mumbai
Noor Festival of Lights, Dubai
Ghewar & Firoze Khan
from Hamira, Rajasthan
Ghewar and Feroze Khan are folk royalty. As sons of the late Padma Shri Sakar Khan, their family is the primary custodians of the kamaicha. These internationally acclaimed musicians have spent over four decades representing Indian roots music on the world’s most prestigious stages.
From deep-rooted traditional sessions in their ancestral village of Hamira to global spectacles, the duo is renowned for technical brilliance and emotional depth. Ghewar’s mastery of the rare, 17-stringed kamaicha and Feroze’s prolific, high-energy dholak rhythms have seen them collaborate with legends like Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Ustad Zakir Hussain.
“The great legacy of the legendary Sakar Khan ji is a heavy burden to carry, but the ease with which the notes flow from Ghewarji’s kamaicha makes one thank the Gods of music.”
- Sarthak Kaushik, Ishq 104.6 FM
International
Fez Festival of World Sacred Music (Morocco), WOMADelaide (Australia), Roskilde (Denmark), FMM Sines (Portugal), and Festival International de Louisiane (USA).
Historic
"From Father to Son" (hosted by Ravi Shankar & Yehudi Menuhin, 1995) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (London).
2025–26 Domestic Highlights
Jodhpur RIFF: Recurring headliners and "Living Legends" at Mehrangarh Fort.
Amarrass Nights: Regular features at Sunder Nursery and 1AQ, New Delhi.
NMACC (Mumbai): Featured performers in the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s folk heritage series.
Thar Blues: Resident masters for the exclusive Jaisalmer desert music tours (2025–2026).
Discography
At Home - Sakar Khan (Amarrass Records): Rated "5 Stars: Top of the World" by Songlines magazine.
The Desert Slide Project - ** Collaborations with Grammy-winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Media Features - MTV Coke Studio and NPR Music’s "Latitudes."
Madou Sidiki Diabatè
71st generation kora player from Mali
Madou Sidiki Diabatè is a 71st generation kora player from Mali, carrying forward one of West Africa’s most revered musical traditions. In his hands, the kora, a 21-string harp, becomes an orchestra of harmonies, rhythms, and melodies. Madou preserves the deep-rooted essence of the traditional sound while seamlessly blending his own jazz influences.
He has performed on stages around the world and collaborated with acclaimed artists including Damon Albarn, Amadou and Mariam, Salif Keita, Vieux Farka Touré, Barmer Boys, and Lakha Khan.
“Madou Sidiki Diabatè... sounds not of this world at all. His rippling, harp-like arpeggios and dizzyingly complex interlocking melodies seem to descend on warm wings from a yearning heaven of billowing, fragrant heat.” — Daniel Spicer, The Wire
The Blue Infinity
Meditation Music for Trance-like Jam Sessions
The Blue Infinity is an innovative Indo-Russian project born in Goa, India, creating new harmonies from a fusion of ancient rhythms and contemporary soundscapes. The band, which has included members from Russia, France, India, USA, and beyond, incorporates a multi-layering of sound through themes of Siberian folk-roots, African dream melodies, and Oriental poly-rhythms. This ethno-shamanic sound is the result of a unique re-engineering of traditional instruments and melodies into experimental, open structural forms.
The band describes their performances as "a meditational journey with transcendent outcomes."
DJ Ravana (Shravan Chellapa)
The Architect of Indian Underground Futurism
DJ Ravana (Shravan Chellapa) is a pioneer of Delhi’s underground electronic scene and a visionary on the Amarrass roster. Believing that folk traditions, with their social and political grit, fuel cutting-edge electronic music, he transforms raw thought and ancient narratives into visceral, bass-heavy experiences across Dub, Drum ‘n’ Bass and Noise.
His landmark album Dubfounded reimagines Rajasthani folk poet Jumme Khan’s spoken word into militant dub and electronic soundscapes, proving how ancient wisdom can pulse through the modern dance floor.
Ravana’s signature sound blends massive basslines, intricate drum programming, field recordings, turntablism, classical samples and political spoken word into dark, mesmerizing textures. On stage, he collaborates seamlessly with artists like the Barmer Boys and experiments with projects such as fusing Ghalib’s poetry with Dub, creating truly boundary-defying performances.
Location & Genres
Rehmat-e-Nusrat
Uttarakhand, India
Sufiana Qawwali
Ravana
New Delhi, India
DJ, Producer
Madou Sidiki Diabatè
Bamako, Mali
Kora, Traditional, Folk, Jazz
Ghewar & Firoze
Rajasthan, India
Traditional Folk (kamaicha, dholak, vocals)
Barmer Boys
Rajasthan, India
Gypsy, Folk, Sufi, Beatbox
The Blue Infinity
India / Russia
Meditation, Psychedelic
Events
Amarrass Nights is our signature concert series, organized by Amarrass Records and the Amarrass Society for Performing Arts. Our mission is to support and promote traditional and folk music from India and beyond by creating sustainable ecosystems that nurture these unique art forms. Celebrated for diverse lineups and a mix of musical styles from Rajasthani folk to jazz fusion and hip-hop, these nights bring soul to the city.
Past Highlights
Our concert series has featured renowned artists like Padma Shri awardees Lakha Khan and the late Sakar Khan, Barmer Boys, and Rehmat-e-Nusrat, Mandolin Sisters, painted caves, Mukhori, among others. We have also hosted international collaborations, including the Indo-French project Group EPO and the jazz band ghugu’mugu from Nepal. Notable events have included a special program on humorous folk poetry and a collaborative event with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
Diverse
Lineups
A curation of traditional folk musicians, contemporary visionaries, and international collaborations.
Iconic
Venues
Set against the backdrop of UNESCO World Heritage sites and culturally significant locations like Sunder Nursery and Lodi Gardens in Delhi.
Celebrating Indian Heritage
Dedicated to introducing traditional music forms to modern, global audiences.
Community Focused
To ensure music remains accessible to the next generation, entry is often free for children below 12 years when accompanied by an adult.
Highlights
Our concert series has featured renowned artists like Padma Shri awardees Lakha Khan and the late Sakar Khan, Barmer Boys, Rehmat-e-Nusrat, Mandolin Sisters, Painted Caves, and Mukhtiyar Ali. We have also hosted international collaborations including the Indo-French project Group EPO and the jazz band ghugu’mugu from Nepal. Notable events have included a special program on humorous folk poetry and a collaborative event with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
Amarrass Desert
Music Festival
MAKING MUSIC SUSTAINABLE
Amarrass Society for Performing Arts.
Our Mission - Creating Sustainable Livelihoods
The Amarrass Society for Performing Arts (ASPA) was established in 2010 as a not-for-profit organization. We are dedicated to creating sustainable livelihoods for folk musicians and craftspeople.
We address the urgent need to preserve traditional methods of instrument making. These skills are fast disappearing due to modernization, lack of opportunities, and disaffected youth.
Our core belief is that we must work with the last remaining keepers of these centuries-old traditions. These keepers include craftsmen, singers, poets, and musicians. Our goal is to preserve and disseminate their knowledge and skills, and ultimately, to train the next generation.
Our Actions ASPA travels into remote regions of India to:
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Research, archive, and record folk and regional music and poetry.
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Develop relationships with traditional instrument makers.
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Promote and create market and trade opportunities for musicians and indigenous craftspersons.
Outcomes
Reviving the Art of
Folk Instrument Making
We work closely with master craftsmen Shankara Ram Suthar and Mohan Lal Lohar, having crafted and sold over 100 traditional instruments including Sindhi sarangi, kamaicha, morchangs, khartaals, and algozas.
Education
We run workshops and educational programs, including Music in Schools, bringing folk music to children in India and globally, with collaborations featuring Lakha Khan and the Barmer Boys.
Archival & Research
Our work includes the transcription and translation of folk songs and poetry from oral traditions, as well as the audio and video documentation of musical forms.
Recordings
We have recorded and released music performed by children, such as Banko Ghodo (2011), a landmark album in youth folk music preservation.
We also believe in supporting our artists directly in times of crisis. During the pandemic, the Amarrass COVID-19 Fund was established to provide direct relief, with 100% of all funds raised going to our artists and their families to ensure their immediate well-being.
