Karsh Kale – Dust (Six Degrees, 2026)
Karsh Kale returns in 2026 with Dust, his first full-length solo album in a decade. Tthe project expands his established fusion of electronic, Indian classical and contemporary sounds with a greater emphasis on his own songwriting and vocals.
The album began with a visual process. Kale created 28 paintings as prompts for new compositions. He then translated those ideas to piano before developing them into the layered arrangements and varied sound environments that gave way to Dust.
Recorded in New York City, Mumbai, Delhi and Goa, the album revisits elements essential to Kale’s work with new approaches. At the same time, its songs relate to personal experiences and creative shifts from different periods of his life.
Although Kale is best known as a drummer and tabla player, Dust brings his voice into sharper focus than any previous record. His songwriting and vocals give the album an intimate, unguarded character. Its songs fall into three distinct strands: hushed, piano-led pieces; fierce, innovative electronic-Indian fusion; and mainstream rock-oriented songs, a restless range that reveals different sides of Kale.
The guest list also connects different generations of Indian and independent music. Longtime collaborators Salim Merchant and Gaurav Raina of Midival Punditz appear alongside Komorebi, Neel Adhikari and Purbayan Chatterjee.
Among the album’s key tracks is “Tabla Beat Scientist,” a heartfelt tribute to Kale’s late mentor, Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Author: Madison Quinn
