Balraj Singh Samrai explores grief and loss during the pandemic in new audiovisual project, 'Someone Died Today': Watch

Swing Ting’s Balraj Singh Samrai has unveiled a new audiovisual project, called ‘Someone Died Today’.

Created in partnership with Manchester International Festival’s MIF Sounds, the work explores loss in a South Asian household during the COVID-19 pandemic. Described in a press release as “a personal story”, it features Samrai’s mother and grandmother, as well as poetry from collaborator Farah Ahmad Khan.

Equiknoxx affiliate Shanique Marie also contributes vocals, while there is tabla from Vikaash Sankadecha and violin from Simmy Singh.

Available now via Bandcamp, proceeds from the release will go to Taraki, a not-for-profit organisation working with Punjabi communities to reshape approaches to mental health. 

You can check out both the audio and visual elements of the project via the video below.

The release of ‘Someone Died Today’ follows on from the announcement last week that Samrai, together with Swing Ting partner Ruben Platt, is bringing the party and label project to an end in the coming months.

In September, Samrai collaborated once again with Farah Ahmad Khan on a project exploring intersectional environmentalism.