A thumping cross-cultural dance party is about to take over a popular downtown rooftop bar, with a meaning that hits deeper than its bass.
This Sunday at Soluna, BASSMATI will bring together some of Toronto’s most exciting Desi artists spinning sounds for an endearing fundraising event in support of flood relief efforts in Punjab, India.
The lineup is stacked with heavy hitters from Toronto’s South Asian creative scene like comedian and DJ Jus Reign, and crowd-favourite selectors Horsepowar, Mrii, and Brisky. One of the event organizers, Angelina Nayyar (also known as genre-defying DJ and performer Angelphroot) is on the bill, and she cautions partygoers to expect the unexpected when it comes to the music, which offers a wildly diverse night of Bhangra, Bollywood, House, Techno, New Wave, and more.
She says the sonic journey through diasporic identity, joy, and resistance right in the heart of Toronto is simply a reflection of the layered cultural realities that many second and third-generation South Asians experience.
“We are genre abolitionists. We are crazy people,” Nayyar laughed in an interview with Now Toronto.
“It’ll be Punjabi music mostly, but mixed with everything – the artistic experimentation and cultural fusion that the diaspora is known for. And that was also a big part of me curating this lineup, because everybody is the best at what they do. Everybody has a really unique sound.”
But BASSMATI is more than just a party.
Earlier this summer, the North Indian state of Punjab experienced its worst floods in nearly four decades, with heavy monsoon rainfall displacing more than 2.5 million residents, destroying farmland, and leaving many in crisis. For many in Toronto – home to the largest Punjabi Sikh population outside India – the damage hits close to home. And that’s why proceeds from the event will go to Khalsa Aid, a trusted humanitarian organization that supports disaster relief and has deep ties to Sikh values.
“We all have people back home,” Nayyar shared.
“Most of my family is here in Canada, but obviously, that is my background. That is the place that, when I’m playing this music, I feel like it would be wrong not to honour and help the actual origin point of how I got to be here.”
Nayyar also emphasized the importance of organizing a fundraising event like this. Not only is it uplifting to support her own community, but it also aligns with Sikh principles of service taught in the Gurudwara, such as “langar,” where anyone is welcome to share a free meal, and “seva,” the practice of selfless community work.
The name BASSMATI is a cheeky twist on Basmati, the long-grain rice grown in Punjab. That blend of both playfulness and cultural pride is a theme partygoers can expect, one that holds space for both celebration and community.
“I want [attendees] to walk away feeling that there is a strong shared sense of community and understanding. That them just showing up and supporting this event and these artists makes so much of a difference,” Nayyar said.
“I feel like sometimes when there are crises like this, people feel hopeless and people feel like there’s nothing that they can do. But actually, coming together, we can make so much of an impact.”
Whether you’re Punjabi, part of the diaspora, or simply down to support a vital cause through dancing all evening long, BASSMATI is an invitation to show up and show out!
BASSMATI kicks off at Soluna on Oct. 5 from 4 to 9 p.m. For more information on tickets, click here.
