Anuj Rastogi is a Toronto-based composer and producer of various styles of music, including drum and bass, hip-hop, downtempo, and other electronica styles, as well as soundtrack compositions, spoken word and experimental sounds. To date, he has released one studio album entitled “Omnesia” and has worked with a wide range of artists spanning many styles of music. While his music draws great influence from South Asian classical, folk and contemporary musical styles
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Anuj Rastogi is a Toronto-based composer and producer of various styles of music, including drum and bass, hip-hop, downtempo, and other electronica styles, as well as soundtrack compositions, spoken word and experimental sounds. To date, he has released one studio album entitled “Omnesia” and has worked with a wide range of artists spanning many styles of music. While his music draws great influence from South Asian classical, folk and contemporary musical styles, Anuj also brings together several other traditional and contemporary sounds from around the world. Anuj does dislike the tag “Fusion” however notes that it’s often the only option you have in a checklist to try and describe the sound. Story Anuj was raised in Edmonton, Canada, and later moved to Toronto, Canada. Anuj learned the keyboard and piano as a child, and went on to play the Tuba, Tenor Saxophone and Percussion in Junior High and High School. Along the way, he also picked up a number of other instruments, and began to experiment with composition and arrangement. Anuj studied Management & Business at the University of Alberta (BComm) and completed his Masters at the Schulich School of Business (MBA). Anuj began producing music in 2002, and in a chance meeting, was introduced to Cassius Khan. Cassius Khan is one of the world’s most unique artists in combining complex Ghazal and Classical vocal performance with Tabla simultaneously. Anuj and Cassius began to work together, and completed their first track “Raseele Tore Nene” in 2003. In 2003, Anuj produced a major concert entitled “Omnesian Travels” which brought together a massive Japanese Taiko drum team with Tabla, Electronica, North/South Indian Dance, Ukranian Dulcimer, Sitar, Spoken Word and visuals. From there, Anuj went on to perform with Cassius and a host of other artists across Canada. In 2004, Anuj moved to Toronto and began collaborations with a whole new group of artists including Nadia Syed, Branko Boras, Sandra Chibuluzo, DJ Abdul Smooth, DeepThoughts, and Falitaa Chhabra. Anuj is also co-founder of the monthly live/DJ event “Dishoom!” which showcases innovative live performance and DJ music in Toronto. The 2007 release of “Omnesia” has been well received by the media and artists communities, and Anuj is currently working on a number of collaborations, as well as projects in film, TV, and live performance. Music Anuj’s music is diverse in aesthetic and subject matter. Spanning politics, introspection, love, longing, empowerment, personal and global challenges, Anuj is not content to resort to any one sound. Anuj’s work has spanned Indian Classical, Folk, Italian Opera, East-European, Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, R&B, Dance, African, East Asian, Electronica and other forms. Influences Anuj sights a number of artists who have been influential including A R Rahman, Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, Cassius Khan, Peter Gabriel, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, PM Dawn, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Danny Elfman, Jonathan Elias, Michael Brecker, RD Burman, Public Enemy, Dave Mathews , Karsh Kale, Ustad Tari Khan, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Miles Davis, just to name a few.
