In a world that is increasingly divided, it’s refreshing to discover tales of connection. Rootless’s new track RakiTaki Tanana celebrates an almost forgotten shared culture.
By Graeme Smith
“The Roma people trace their ancestry back to India, and though their music and traditions have evolved across the globe, there are still echoes of that origin in their rhythms, melodies, and spirit. That shared history inspired us,” Rootless say about their new single.
RakiTaki Tanana was produced by Janos at AG Productions and Sodhi in the UK. AG Productions is a new Roma-led multicultural production company whose aim is to create high-quality original music and exciting collaborations that put Roma culture into the mainstream alongside other communities.
Across the track’s composition, it fully embraces this history, modernises the Indian-Romani sound through bright brass, bouncy percussion and charismatic vocal delivery.
It’s very much a lived history. The band is made up of Romani and Indian members, with David on vocals, Matus on guitar, Martin on bass, and Elisei on saxophone, all of whom are in the renowned Romani band ZOR. Joining them are Sodhi on tabla, Prince on the dhol, and Karan on vocals. “Each of us brings our traditions, styles, and experiences into one sound that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in history,” they say.
The blend is intoxicating. We get the upbeat folksiness of Romani music and the soulfulness of Indian. Each instrument works well with each other and collectively transport to another part of world.
Yet, through it all, there’s a tale that’s closer to home. The collective are based in Scotland and wanted to emphasise the impact of their Scottish heritage on their sound.
“Scotland has a strong folk and festival culture with audiences who are open to vibrant, diverse sounds,” they say. “It is a unique place as there are not many other places where Indian and European Roma communities live side by side. For us it was an obvious choice to connect with Indian artists and explore similarities between our culture and music.”
The concept echoes through to the band’s name.
“We discovered straight away that many of the Romani and Indian words are similar, strengthening the realisation of how much our cultures are connected and sharing the same roots which is very important for us Roma as, throughout our history since we arrived in Europe about a millennia ago, we were considered as rootless wandering nomadic people and as a result we were largely marginalised and often enslaved. That’s why we chose the name Rootless to reflect this search for our origins throughout this band that connects us with musicians from the culture where we originate from.”
Alongside the album comes a performance video full of life and colour. There’s a clear chemistry between the performers.
“Filming the video was pure joy,” say the band. “We wanted it to feel like a street festival, and that’s exactly what it became. We brought in two incredible saree-clad dancers who fused Indian classical grace with Romani vitality, and when their steps synced with the tabla and dhol, it created magic.
“Each band member’s energy fed into the visuals and, by the final moments when the tabla player and dancers moved in perfect rhythm, it felt like a visual and sonic reminder of why we do this: to show what happens when traditions intertwine.”
The band wanted to point out that their project is about much more than music. “It’s about building cultural bridges,” they say, and that comes through strongly in all they do. It’s a fascinating idea executed with thought and joy. In these divided times we need to remember what connects us, and Rootless are leading the way.
For those in Scotland, the collective have a performance coming up at Aberdeen Mela on 7 September 2025.
RakiTaki Tanana is out now, and you can listen to it below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
