The history of acid house music is closely linked to the Chicago underground scene of the early 80s. Pioneers of the genre, such as Sleezy D and Phuture, are credited with creating the distinctive sound using the Roland TB-303 synthesizer, and their 1987 track *"Acid Trax"* is considered the archetype of acid house. However, the beginning of this musical revolution may have been placed five years earlier and thousands of kilometers away, in Mumbai, India.
Charanjit Singh's album *Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat* was released in 1982, and was one of the first records to use the Roland TB-303 sound in conjunction with the Roland TR-808 drum machine. Despite its lack of recognition at the time, this record contained all the elements that characterize acid house: a steady four-on-the-floor beat, electronic sounds, and improvised synth lines.
Charanjit Singh, influenced by disco music and Indian tradition, created a unique sound that combined Western influences with Indian raga melodies. In a 2011 interview with the *Guardian*, Singh said: *"I wanted to play all the Indian ragas to a disco beat and experiment with the sound of the Roland TB-303, which I had just bought in Singapore. The result seemed interesting to me and I thought of recording it."*
When the album was released in 1982, it was not a hit and remained virtually unknown for decades. It was not until 2010 that music producer Edo Bouman rediscovered the record and re-released it, sparking the interest of the global music community. Within online forums and electronic music collections, Singh's contribution to acid house began to be recognized, with many considering *«Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat»* as the first acid house album.
Singh's approach was innovative, incorporating Indian raga improvisation into electronic music, using experimental equipment that Western artists had not yet fully exploited. His sound composition heralded the sound of acid house, years before the genre's spread to the Chicago scene.
Singh himself remained humble about his work, even until his death in 2015. The lack of commercial success and slow recognition of the importance of his work raises questions about how big a role marketing plays in shaping musical history.
Forty years after its initial release, *Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat* has emerged as an important chapter in the history of electronic music, offering a new perspective on the roots of acid house. This record is a reminder that musical innovation can come from anywhere in the world and that a lack of initial commercial success does not diminish the artistic value and impact of a work.
This unknown story of Charanjit Singh shows us how musical tradition and experimentation can create new sounds and inspire entire musical movements.
