Reviews and Quotes…
“The film’s soundtrack, scored by Niraj Chag, is a particular highlight. It accents emotional moments well, swells as the romance does, and offers intimacy in a film that doesn’t always reach below the surface.” (The Independent on Little English)
“Striking use of movement and music.” 4/5 stars (Financial Times on The Village)
“Niraj Chag’s beautiful music, performed by three onstage musicians, provides some evocative underscoring.” (The Independent on The Captive Queen)
“show-stealing music” (TheUpcoming.co.uk on The Captive Queen)
“Niraj Chag’s music injects atmosphere” (Time Out on The Captive Queen)
“it is left to Niraj Chag’s music to give the staging its flavour” (The Stage on The Captive Queen)
“the contributions of three musicians who render Niraj Chag’s insidiously beautiful incidental music as dramatic underscoring.” (WhatsOnStage on The Captive Queen)
“a trio of Indian musicians supply soulful, sinuous underscoring.” (The Times on The Captive Queen)
“Niraj Chag’s compositions are wonderfully evocative, and real celebrations of India. “ (BroadwayWorld.com on The Captive Queen)
“evocative input of three onstage musicians” (Financial Times on The Captive Queen)
“Memorable hooks with brooding, atmospheric backdrops” – (Songlines Magazine on Mud Doll)
“Mud Doll is a unique musical experience that is in touch with the emotional and intelligent mood that music evokes.” (Punjab2000.com on Mud Doll)
“Ultimately this is the perfect collection of songs on the best album of the year so far and that is why it gets a perfect score – 5 stars” (Eastern Eye on Mud Doll) *Also named album of the year 2015 in December Issue.
“Niraj Chag provides soulful, rhythmic music” (The Stage on Dara)
“Evocative live music” (The Londonist on Dara)
“Plush costumes, between-scene movement and live Indian music are also all an utter delight, adding up to an elegant evocation of period and mood.” (Independent on Dara)
“Katrina Lindsay’s stunning set is perfectly suited to the fast-moving narrative: a series of tall, ornamental screens is drawn on and off to indicate changes of place and time. Veiled women dance between them, accompanied by three excellent musicians.” (Telegraph on Dara)
“stunning music from Niraj Chag” (Guardian on Much Ado About Nothing)
“the music is captivating” (Yorkshire Post on WYP’s The Jungle Book)
“Niraj Chag’s beautifully delivered compositions for percussion, drums and vocalist, aided by Fergus O’Hare’s sound design, weave the animal, human and vegetable worlds. Overall, a truly theatrical melding of expertise, talent and imagination.” 5/5 stars (Guardian on WYP’s The Jungle Book)
“a score (by Niraj Chag) that converts vocalised Indian rhythms into spluttering disco beats” (Independent on Dev Kahan Hai?)
“Niraj Chag’s music is an exciting fusion of traditional and modern sounds.” (The Stage on Much Ado About Nothing)
“Niraj Chag’s inventive score, played live, provides some beautiful Indian settings for Syal’s rendering of Shakespeare’s songs” (lady.co.uk on Much Ado About Nothing)
“The live music is terrific” (Telegraph on Much Ado About Nothing)
“The energetic musical interludes don’t come across in any way as padding: the super score, which features two contrasting settings of “Sigh No More”, is by Niraj Chag.” (theartsdesk.com on Much Ado About Nothing)
“buoyant music courtesy of London-based Niraj Chag.” (Evening Standard on Much Ado About Nothing)
“music by Niraj Chag perfectly enhance the setting and combine to create some of the most effective moments of the production” (Whatsonstage on Much Ado About Nothing)
“Bollywood-style singing and dancing, great music and masses of colour” (The Shakespeare Blog on Much Ado About Nothing)
“magical, thumping Bhangra music ” (Express and Star on Much Ado About Nothing)
“And the river of music running through sees Shakespeare’s Hey Nonny No translated into a Hindi torch song, complete with hand drumming and moaning sitar.” (Daily mail – 5 stars)
“Niraj Chag’s music helps make the masked ball and pre-wedding scenes an exhilarating delight………superbly augmented by the evocative score” (thepublicreviews.com)
“Niraj Chag’s music is also something wondrous to behold. Vivid, sensuous, powerful, it richly enhances the whole production” (oughttobeclowns.co.uk)
“Incidentally, I wouldn’t be surprised if composer Niraj Chag – who supplies a fusion of traditional and funky music – wrote a hit musical soon” (Theatre News Online)
“affecting new songs by Gupta and composer Niraj Chag.” (Whatsonstage on Wah! Wah! Girls)
“And it is images of vibrant colour and sounds of catchy songs, in both Hindi and English, that will stay with you long after the curtain has closed.” (Wharf.co.uk on Wah! Wah! Girls)
“Strange whispers and electronic sounds churn through Niraj Chag’s score and have a convulsive effect on the choreography, pressing it into angled formations like a modern temple frieze. It’s a work unlike any other I’ve seen” (Guardian on Classic Cut / Dev Kahan Hai?)
“accompanied by Niraj Chag’s stammering electronic score, creates a nightclub ambience as the richly interpretable shapes of tradition are turned into gestural soundbites” (Evening Standard on Classic Cut / Dev Kahan Hai?)
“Niraj writes and produces music that turns lyrics and instrumentation into emotions that often resemble a prayer in their power. Some of the most beautiful british asian music ever created has come from this man. Dj Nihal (BBC Radio One)
“The Lost Souls stands out by its sultry, mystical and magical sweetness as well as through its minimal use of electronica elements.” (Yoga Basics)
“Like Sergeant Pepper’s, Kind of Blue or Dark Side of the Moon, Lost Souls is one of those rare, fully realized records that will send involuntary shivers running down your spine the first time you hear it… Lost Souls is a benchmark album from an emerging giant. It simply must be heard.” (Ethnotechno.com)
“a spellbinding collection of songs with great singers who wrap their voices around you and cast a magical spell over everyone. This album is pure class.” (Eastern Eye Review Of The Lost Souls)
“Setting emotive and vibrant Asian songs alongside typically European sensibilities, Chag manages to successfully unite a lush yet direct record without too much smudging and in doing so shows himself to be an eloquent and dynamic artist in the process.” (Songlines Review Of The Lost Souls)
“It sounds ridiculously hyperbolic, but this album really is full of heart and soul…We should all be grateful, for The Lost Souls speaks to us all. Simply gorgeous…” (BBC Music Review Of The Lost Souls)
“Independently released music has never sounded so good: this album will doubtless be a highlight on anyones cd or mp3 player this year – 4/5” (Songlines Magazine)
“…a rich peaceful refrain that’ll be welcomed by all fans of Chill with open arms.” (BBC Music)
“experimental, thought provoking, left field sound, Along The Dusty Road is a must have! – 4/5” (Brit-Asian Magazine)
“Overall this album appeals not only to Asians in the diaspora, but to all those who have an appreciation for music created from the soul.” (Cultivasian.org)
“He is a man doing entirely his own thing among Asian producers and composers. With a focus on melody and arrangement that is soulful and comforting, he’s filled what I didn’t even know was a void in the Asian music landscape.” (Indianelectronica.com)
“…it’s an emotional response that I have not felt in a long time. Musically, nowhere is there a misstep, an error or a sense of disappointment; have I enjoyed another album as thoroughly as this one? Possibly, but definitely not this year. – 10/10” (Asianvibrations.com)
“One of the most sensuous, soulful and beautiful tracks I’ve heard since joining Radio 1” (Dj Nihal on ‘Khwaab)
“Along The Dusty Road is truly an undeniable, unrelenting triumph – 5/5” (Eastern Eye)
“as mellow gold for the soul, Along The Dusty Road is an Indian summer come early” (HMV Choice Magazine)
“Three years in the making, the album celebrates and tranforms Chag’s Indian roots and British-Asian influences into an engaging aural narrative-you can both dream and dance to it!” (Pulse Magazine)
“a new breed of Asian electronic artist” (DJ Magazine Review)
“Niraj Chag weaves sentimental, string-driven soundscapes’……..’Its an expression of talent that doesn’t preclude other visions” (Timeout Review)
“His blend of classical bollywood ballads and Indian melodies with garage, hip hop and drum and bass is often infectious and hypnotic. No doubt he’s already remixed it all for the dancefloor” (The Times – Review of Baiju Bawra)
“ear-caressing Indian melodies to strut your-stuff songs” (Evening Standard Review – Baiju Bawra)
“This leaves you thinking about starting all over again….Does it for me and will do it for you” (Eastern Eye review of Walking Alone)
“an enthralling example of contemporary Asian music entwined with Western dance production, or moshed sitardelia ideal for getting stoned to? Either way, you’re advised to walk Nirajs way” (NME Review)
“my parents gave me a choice of 3 suitable careers – being a doctor, lawyer or accountant” lets hope he doesn’t give up his day job. (Touch magazine interview)
“You don’t explain Niraj, you experience Niraj…We were doing an interview with MTV in Bangkok and this girl called in, it was a phone thing where they call in, and the girl said “I’d like to ask DJ Cavo, when you came back in another life, if you could be anybody, who would you want to be? And I was like, “I’d want to be Niraj!” because I’d just love to know what goes on in that kid’s head. The things that come out of his mouth, you know? This is a subject I could go on and on about, he constantly just shocks me with the things that he says, only because you just wonder how a mind like that works. But musically he’s a genius, and I guess that’s it” (DJ Cavo for Ethnotechno.com)
“A warped intro sets the tone for a great melody shift, but make sure that the sharp drumbeat doesn’t take your ear off” (Desitunes4u.com – Review)
“Niraj Chag had one of the best tracks on volume 1, and he continues to dazzle us on volume 2 with ‘kuchh dil ne kaha’, a trip hop excursion featuring Bollywood female vocals, his beautiful trademark synth work, and funky bass guitars. Overall a tremendous track – look for big things from Niraj Chag in the future” 9/10 (Desisound.com Review)
“Following on from Niraj Chag’s contributions to Outcaste compliations in the mid-’90’s and a reputation as THE new young producer to commission on a range of works, great things were expected of his debut album.
The long awaited release, ‘Along The Dusty Road’ more than lived up to expectations!
An album which can only be described as beautiful from start to finish, includes outstanding tracks like Bangles, The Nomad, and the supremely haunting Khwaab. NIraj fully utilises the skills of established vocalists like Swati Natekar while simultaneously introducing new young talents like Melissa Baten and Faheem Mazhar.
The final product boasts exceptional voices, crystal clear production, sterling instrumentation, and a ‘mainstream’ sensibility with Asian references which combine to form a unique album that will take up residency in your CD player for months!” (DJ Ritu – BBC LONDON and BBC 3CR)
“Best British-Asian music concert i can remember going to.” (Adil Ray on Lost Souls Live Concert – BBC Asian Network)
“It was easily the best concert I have seen in years. It was Absolutely a true representation of what British asian music is about. Nothing was derivative, nothing was imitative. The guy is a creative force to be reckoned with. Everything was seamless. Everything was just out of this world. (Nikki Bedi on Lost Souls Live Concert – BBC Asian Network)
“Music is a means to strengthen and revitalise the soul; seeing Niraj Chag in concert did exactly that! Certainly one to watch out for.” (DJ Pathan on Lost Souls Live Concert – Globetronica)