Sindhi Curry aka Pramod Sippy was an early bloomer, who began his musical journey at the age of 14, beginning by playing on tapes, CDs to playing on turntables and of course the digital medium, which is probably the best evidence of his monumental standing.

Pramod’s foray into DJing began with terrace parties and impromptu gatherings, usually organized by friends. A self-taught DJ, his intrigue led him to continually delve deeper into the art form, perpetually striving to understand it better.

Pramod has been an integral part of the entertainment industry, notably as a co-founder of The Bombay Elektrik Project and The Hive. His work was crucial in building the foundation for culture centers and movements in the country, providing platforms for upcoming talents to showcase their skills.

His style of music today is influenced by Chicago-House, Disco, Funk, Soul and Detroit Techno, amongst a vast array of genres. The atmosphere that he seeks to create can be best described as fresh, warm, and infused with funky grooves and cosmic sounds.

Now almost 20 years later, he has single-handedly managed to make a name for himself, thus making a much sought after Deejay. He has been adapting to the crowd's energy with only one goal in mind: keeping everyone on the dance floor until the break of dawn.

When he’s not behind the decks, Curry lends his hand to his Bombay Elektrik Project, as well as The Hive, providing opportunities to up-and-coming musicians while laying the foundation for culture centres and movements in the country.

Verus Ferreira met up with Pramod to unravel his musical journey, his love for vinyl, and what he’s upto lately.

You began Deejaying by doing house parties and playing at social gatherings. Tell us something about your early days, finishing your education and jumping into music full time.

I was exposed to different styles of music at a very early age, thanks to a household that started and ended the day with music. I had the privilege of attending a gig at Madness which was a popular club in Khar (Mumbai) when I was just 12. That was the starting point for me. I heard a club DJ weave tracks seamlessly and I was intrigued, to say the least. I did my Bachelors in Arts from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai while working as a professional DJ through my college years. I started off playing tapes using rudimentary, home audio gear for small events in my building in 1994 and then gradually moved to more professional equipment. I played quite a few private parties, but I realised early that I wanted to express myself differently and was always experimenting with genres at conventional house parties. This led me to understand my love for House music and its various sub-genres.

I started my first club residency as a head resident at Zwigs at Hotel Rodas in Mumbai in 1999. I used to depend on friends and family to travel overseas and pick up CD' for me. I kept collecting original CD' with jackets and I still have a few case logics with all the originals. The internet was a luxury and with the help of a few friends I started getting B sides and rarities but quite often they were not 12-inch versions, so it was challenging to mix them in my sets. The formative years of my career were challenging but they taught me some of the most important things which I will treasure for a lifetime.

How did the name Sindhi Curry come about?

The story behind Sindhi Curry is simple; my colleagues and I from my agency Bleep were at our wits end to think of a suitable stage name for my new project in 2017. This is when one of my friends mentioned Sindhi Curry. I wasn't comfortable with the name at all in the beginning. In time, the name grew on me, and I felt more comfortable with it. In retrospect, I think it was the best decision as this defines me. Sindhi Curry is an acquired taste and those who like it, have great taste, and don't settle for anything less.

If not music, what were you interested in doing?

I was studying law post my BA degree, but I didn't complete as I was drawn more towards music. I really like the subject and still read enough about it, but I think I'm blessed to be doing what I love.

You are co Founder of Bombay Elektrik Project. Tell us something about it.

Bombay Elektrik Project (BEP) was the brainchild of three college friends who basically wanted to create opportunities for up-and-coming talent in the country.  Kenneth Lobo, Sudeip Nair and I went on to create multiple platforms for DJs/Artists from the music, spoken word, film and media space. We were early in the game and what started as an initiative hosting events at a local Mumbai venue snowballed into a nationally popular Arts & Culture enterprise. Apart from handling DJ residencies across different bars and clubs in hotels mostly, booking some of the best local and international DJs, we also hosted budding stand-up comedians, poets, and filmmakers at our events. BEP did remarkable stuff back in 2008 and we had packed events even on Monday nights, which was quite a statement.

You're passionate about vinyl. Tell us something about your collection. Do you also own a turntable?

My tryst with vinyl started when I discovered my father's collection of old Bollywood and Disco records. His collection was nothing specific, but it sure had some gems for that time. I started buying vinyl in 2012. My collection stands at about 750 records as of now and every vinyl that I own is a piece of my heart as I have never picked up anything randomly. A lot of my time, effort, and money have gone into picking up these gems. My repertoire is wide, and I like to play many different styles of music, therefore my collection is representative of the broad spectrum of music I listen to. Soul, Funk, Disco, House, Deep-House, Techno, and Garage are few of the genres that I like collecting usually.

I own a pair of Audio-Technica LP120' and I quite like them for home use. I am planning on picking up a pair of Technics 1200 MK5 in the near future.

What can be done to promote vinyl?

I do a weekly post called Vinyl of The Week on Instagram where I highlight one record from my collection. I write about my sonic experience with the vinyl and put out a snippet of the recording.  It has to start at the micro level. We barely have any record shops in India and that is the first step to exposing people to vinyl culture. Once they subscribe to vinyl, the ones with a discerning ear will understand why vinyl holds such great value. It's a piece of art in itself and something that holds significant sentimental value. Last year, I started an IP called Wax Off/Wax Off where I play and promote vinyl-only DJs. I can see that people are able to tell the difference in the sound quality and also the effort that goes into mixing vinyl. I see that gradually people are respecting the craft of playing vinyl. It's a good start but we have a long way to go. We need more vinyl gigs happening across various venues.

You’ve played on turntables. It’s a whole new experience, can you tell us how it feels playing analogue and digital?

It's a world of difference. Once you learn to play sets on vinyl, it's like the ultimate thing and you barely find digital interesting. Both formats are good so to speak but the sound of vinyl barely ever causes ear fatigue unless it's poorly mastered. One needs to understand that just by playing vinyl, they won't achieve the desired result. The right quality DJ mixer, PA sound system and even the amplification is of great importance, along with the make of turntables being used.

You also have The Hive. What is this about?

I co-founded the Hive along with Sudeip Nair and Rajeesh Marar in 2013. As BEP, we were dependent on other venues to host gigs. We wanted to have complete control over the gigs we do and hence arose the need to own a venue. The HIVE was a standalone venue in Khar which was an amalgamation of a co-working space, a small auditorium style room for shows, a Cafe, an acoustic panelled room for various activities like yoga, Zumba, etc. The idea was to create a community of like-minded people who could exchange ideas, enjoy great entertainment and our food & beverage offerings.

What type of genre would you label your music as?

I'd like to think I'm quite versatile with music as I have not really contained myself to a specific style. I have a wide spectrum because of the influence of various people in my life and more so because I also work as a music consultant for a company that provides licensed bespoke music to luxury hotels and retail chains across the globe. In simple terms, my music is a combination of soulful, vibrant, groovy, and unfamiliar yet widely appealing.

What music gear do you use?

I prefer the Pioneer CDJ Nexus 2000 MK2 with a DJM 900 Nexus 2 Mixer for my gigs.

Have you released any EPs or albums?

I'm a quintessential DJ & not a producer yet.

What new music are you working on right now?

Once I start music production, I shall let you know!

Who are your favourite Indian and International EDM artists?

Chemical Brothers, Metronomy, Antal, Kerri Chandler are a few of the International Artists that I really like.

How was your experience performing at the Casa Bacardi stage at HG Street recently? How has your association been with Bacardi?

I admire Home-grown for the kind of work they do. Their events address diverse topics and people from different walks of life attend them. My experience of performing at the Casa Bacardi stage was good as usual. In fact, I have played Casa Bacardi gigs previously and the last one in Bandra, Mumbai was by far one of my most favourite gigs. I played a vinyl set there that the crowd absolutely loved. I have also played a few more gigs for Bacardi and the experience was really good.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira