YUNG SINGH — Bloom

Yung Singh opens a new chapter with **Bloom**, the debut release on his own EKTA imprint and a four-track 12-inch that places Panjabi musical heritage inside a distinctly contemporary club framework. Catalogued as **EKTA001C**, the record moves between bass music, jungle, breakbeat-informed rhythms and organic percussion, establishing EKTA as a platform where cultural identity and forward-thinking dance music can operate on equal terms. For Singh, Bloom is more than a first production statement. After years of establishing himself as one of the UK underground's most distinctive selectors, the EP represents a transition from DJ to producer while introducing the musical philosophy behind EKTA. The label's name refers to *ekta*, the Panjabi concept of unity or coming together — an idea reflected in a record that treats tradition not as something static, but as raw material for new club music. The record begins with **“NUG46”**, a track developed from field recordings captured during Singh's travels in New Zealand. Hypnotic tabla patterns provide the central pulse while sharply articulated jungle rhythms introduce a more restless electronic edge. The contrast is crucial: organic percussion gives the track its human character, while the rhythmic programming pushes it firmly towards the dancefloor. Rather than simply layering Indian instrumentation over familiar UK club structures, Singh builds a space where both elements influence the character of the groove. The track's title has a personal origin, taken from the registration plate of the vehicle used during the New Zealand road trip that inspired the piece. That detail reinforces the sense that Bloom is constructed from lived experience rather than an abstract attempt to reference a particular culture. **“Tabla Trouble”** takes the EP deeper into the relationship between acoustic instrumentation and electronic production. Tabla rhythms, strings, flutes and vocal material are layered into a composition that feels simultaneously organic and heavily processed. The production places particular emphasis on the contrast between low-end space and sharply defined percussion, giving the track a physical, almost tactile quality. Singh has spoken specifically about shaping the track around that contrast, using reverb, delay, compression and saturation to push the tabla between atmospheric depth and an aggressive, forward position in the mix. The result is not a conventional fusion exercise; the traditional instruments become part of the production architecture itself. On the B-side, **“Situationz”** shifts the focus towards direct club impact. At its centre is the so-called **“Shinda Break”**, a rhythmic pattern inspired by the music of legendary Panjabi artist Sukshinder Shinda. Singh takes a rhythm with deep cultural recognition and reframes it inside a contemporary electronic setting, turning a familiar musical reference into a driving piece of dancefloor machinery. The **“Situationz (Raw Mix)”** strips the concept back further, presenting a more reduced version of the track's rhythmic idea. Its inclusion gives the vinyl a practical DJ dimension while reinforcing one of Bloom's central principles: the same musical material can function differently when its rhythmic architecture is exposed. What makes **Bloom** particularly significant is the way Singh avoids treating cultural influence as decoration. The EP is rooted in Panjabi folk traditions, Indian classical rhythms and older musical practices, but its production language belongs unmistakably to contemporary underground club music. Jungle, breakbeat energy, bass pressure, field recordings and classical percussion coexist without being forced into a single genre category. That approach also defines EKTA itself. Singh has described the label as a sonic universe where artists can bring specific cultural references into modern club frameworks, with the broader ambition of creating space for cultural exchange rather than representing one tradition in isolation. The visual identity of Bloom follows the same philosophy, drawing on Phulkari embroidery and the idea of growth and renewal. For DJs, **Yung Singh – Bloom** offers a particularly interesting proposition: a record that carries substantial cultural and conceptual weight without sacrificing rhythmic function. **NUG46** provides hypnotic, jungle-inflected movement; **Tabla Trouble** explores percussion and texture; **Situationz** delivers the most direct club pressure; and the **Raw Mix** provides a stripped-back alternative for mixing. As the inaugural physical release on EKTA, **EKTA001C** therefore works on two levels. It is a debut EP from a selector moving decisively into production, and it is the first tangible statement of a label built around musical unity, heritage and experimentation. Bloom looks backwards for source material, but its intention is firmly forward-facing — using tradition as a starting point for new forms of dance music rather than as an endpoint.