Karsh Kale

Described by Billboard Magazine as a “visionary composer and producer,” Karsh Kale is a defining figure in global electronic fusion for 25 years. The British-born, New York-raised artist has served as a bridge between worlds, seamlessly blending the rigorous precision of Indian classical music with the grit of rock, the depth of jazz, and the limitless textures of electronica.

From his early days in NYC , as a founding member of the supergroup Tabla Beat Science alongside Ustad Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell, his 8 critically acclaimed solo albums , to his seminal collaborations with Sting, U2 , Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar, and Herbie Hancock to name a few, Kale has consistently pushed the boundaries of what music can and should be. He doesn’t just mix genres; he blurs the lines making music that appeals to the discerning audiences as well as the wider audience in entertainment. Karsh is also an award winning film composer known for his work on films like the Bollywood hit film Gully Boy which won him both the coveted Filmfare award and the Asian Film award.

In 2026, Karsh Kale returns with his most ground breaking and genre bending album to date, DUST, his first full-length solo album in ten years. Born from a desire to reconnect with a “childlike creativity,” the project began not in a studio, but on canvas. Kale spent months creating 28 paintings that served as the visual prompts for the album’s compositions, which he then developed on the piano before moving into the many soundscapes he is known for as well as many he delivers for the first time.

Recorded across the vibrant creative hubs of New York City, Mumbai, Delhi, and Goa, DUST is a homecoming to the organic, quintessential “Kale aesthetic”- a world where genres are blurred allowing his creativity to shine. DUST chronicles a journey through his storied life.

Intimate & Vocal: While known for being a world-class drummer and tabla artist, DUST reveals Kale’s most intimate side yet, featuring his own songwriting and vocal performances more prominently than any previous record.

The Collaborators: The album bridges generations, featuring longtime brothers-in-arms like Salim Merchant and Gaurav Raina (Midival Punditz) alongside the modern vanguard of indie music, including Komorebi, Neel Adhikari, and Purbayan Chatterjee.

A Living Legacy: A centerpiece of the album is the track “Tabla Beat Scientist,” a profound tribute to his mentor, the late Ustad Zakir Hussain, honoring the lineage that continues to inspire his evolution.