Week on Week: The VICE India Mixtape

Attempting to keep up with new releases is exhausting. And the never-ending quest to discover an act before they hit >1000 plays on Bandcamp is all but rewarding. Having given up full time music writing a little while ago, more often than not I find myself feeling a mix of FOMO and IDGAF about new, local music while compiling my Spotify playlists. With this feature, we (that is, I) aim to put together a weekly mixtape—without being judgemental assholes.

For this week’s edition, I’ve put together a mix of songs from the many artists on the slamming lineup for BudX, a multi-genre music festival taking place right in the heart of Mumbai, on March 23-24. Brought to life by Budweiser India, BudX is a music property with a difference, wherein fans are treated to some forward-thinking, cutting edge electronic music—exploring the realms of techno, bass, experimental and of course, the unmissable genre of the year, hip-hop. We’ve got a fine mix of tunes from those working on the festival, supporting it and are hella excited to see you at Mehboob Studios soon.

“There is so much versatility in their collaborations, and I've loved Ebow before grime was mainstream. There is a badass energy that this song taps into. I will not drive, handle dangerous equipment or text my wife with this playing in my headphones.”
—Mazher Ramzanali, Project Director, BudX

“This song resonates with me simply because of the sheer ferocity and passion with which DIVINE raps this epic tune. It totally does the job when I’m trying to pump myself up after a tough day or before a workout. I also love the lyrical shout-out to his mum. Also DIVINE is ❤”
—Tara Antony, Sponsorships + Partnerships Lead, AB-INBEV

“I like the beginning and ending of this track! The smart use of instruments and the harmonica; it's like the perfect long drive track for me. PS: Here’s a set I vibe to as well. It takes you to some place and has those organic electronic sounds that feel medicinal.”
—Piyush Ghai, Head of Production, BudX

“This song takes me back to my last birth, when all we had were black and white television sets and LP players. I like being there in that time, I also like this song. Jokes aside, pretty neat song!”
—Sidhant Gandhi, Head of Design, VICE India and responsible for the cool artwork

“Love this song because it reminds me of the '90s, and arcade games!”
—Garima Kaushal, Brand Manager, Budweiser, India

“What's not to like? Dark beats, lyrics on fire and that haunting flute sample ensure this track makes it to everyone's "on repeat" playlists. It is also the first Seedhe Maut music video I saw, putting faces to voices that I had been hearing for a while and it's always interesting when that happens. The boys look young but feel mature beyond their years, putting together complex and funny storytelling with an edge making their music groovy and politically conscious—that elusive formula everyone is looking for."

—Sameer Ghauri, Bud X Content Director

“Rahul Giri is a tough dude to crack. His musicality is so diverse, as witness in Sulk Station’s revered debut album or this banger of a set he played at India’s first Boiler Room session, that it makes me cry. HIs newest drop, "Hollow" explores his beatmaking at a languid pace, and keeps moving from a bass attack to a leisurely head bob, all the while making a bass face (#gross). You could be chilling at home, leaving the bar to get back to the floor, or even hearing this soundtrack in an experimental horror film—it fits right in everywhere. Rahul

macha

, give us that solo _RHL album, and the long overdue Sulk Station sophomore, please?”

—Naman Saraiya, Producer, VICE India

Buy tickets to BudX Mumbai here.

Check out our previous editions here.