Yung Singh

Five years after his emergence as a voice in the UK underground, Yung Singh transitions from selector to composer with the launch of his EKTA imprint. Named DJ Mag’s Breakthrough DJ of 2021, he has since continued to evolve, and, beyond his Boiler Room appearances, he has sought to establish himself as a cultural architect, bridging the gap between underground club culture and deep-rooted heritage.

Marking a definitive turning point, his debut single ‘NUG46’, which is out now, serves as the first look at the EKTA label and his debut three-track EP, ‘Bloom’.

Meaning "unity" or "oneness" in Panjabi, EKTA [ˈɪktaː] is ‘a vehicle for a vision that refuses to be contained by industry categorisation.’ The label is a platform aiming to champion a sound that is both genre-agnostic and BPM-neutral. Lying at the intersection of different dance music cultures, he draws inspiration from Panjabi folk and classical, fused with UK soundsystem and global bass to forge a sound.

The visual identity of the label draws from a vast library of motifs, spanning from the Indus Valley Civilisation to the Phulkari ("flower work") textiles. This "flower work" provides the literal and symbolic DNA for the project; by bridging these heritage patterns with the title ‘Bloom’, the EP crystallised while on tour during Basant, the Panjabi festival marking the arrival of spring.

Yung Singh: “EKTA as a name really sums up what I love about music and arts in general: unity and oneness. I want the label to be a sonic universe where artists bring their specific heritage into a modern club framework; it’s not just a Panjabi project, but a medium for cultural exchange. It’s about merging diverse folk traditions to treat these sounds not as relics, but as the future of dance music. Finalising the project while on tour in Panjab during Basant felt like a full-circle moment; that transition into a freer stage of my career, combined with the Phulkari roots of the artwork, made Bloom the only name for a project that symbolises this next season.”

Debut single ‘NUG46’ was apparently born not from the pursuit of a club hit, but as an act of creative reclamation and a "soul-cleansing" experiment in production.

An intentional move away from the pressure to chase a commercial club banger or viral hype, the track first formed during an idyllic road trip to Whangārei Heads, New Zealand - the title taken from the registration plate of the vehicle used. By weaving field recordings from the remote beach with a tabla line, he captures the ethereal nature of Indian classical music while maintaining the technical edge of high-fidelity jungle.

The result is a transportive track that embodies the lush vegetation and coastal climate of its origin, soundtracked by the Logical Progression album, which he listened to relentlessly while on the trip.

While the label marks a new era of composition, it was born as a party series and educational platform. The 2024 launch tour saw him curate four dates across London, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham, featuring over 20 artists per bill, including Talvin Singh, DJ Q, and Lou Noor (FKA Sicaria), drawing a diverse crowd to witness a sonic intersection, spanning UKG, UK funky, dubstep, jungle, Panjabi folk & classical, as well as debuting live elements across the four nights.

The ‘Bloom’ EP is released next month and is completed by two additional tracks: ‘Situationz’ and ‘Tabla Trouble’.