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Name: Transglobal Underground Transglobal were DJs but played live underground. They had to happen, refusing to accept that something called “World Music” ever existed. They slowed down hip hop and sang in whatever language they felt like singing in. Their influence is all over the place, sometimes benign, sometimes joyful, and sometimes beautiful. TGU followed on from the recording of a single, “Temple Head” for Nation Records, a label created specifically to fuse western dance music with Arabic, Asian, and African music… then dream became a reality. They have experienced DJ culture, Indian classical music, reggae, bhangra, hip hop, community politics, underground art, and eighties pop. Their sessions also marked the first appearance of vocalist Natacha Atlas. TGU rapidly gained a reputation for flamboyant live performances, dramatic costumes, belly dancing, and endless percussion, and Nepalese Temple guardians. Their album “Dream of 100 Nations” was acclaimed as one of the year’s best debuts, and inevitably, it got into the top 50. Following this success, it was SONY, who financed their second album, “International Times”. For a while it was more of a club than a group, utilizing the services of North London club land legends, DJ Nelson Dilation and VJ Sheikh Ad Helik, working for Banco de Gaia, traveling to Eastern Europe, USA, Turkey, and even getting in a residency in a Cairo nightclub before heading back to London. TGU has been nominated for the BBC Audience Award in the World Music Category. They have released seven albums and own label Mule Satellite Recordings.
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