Composer, singer and rising star from Birmingham (Handsworth), Raju Mali, launches his debut album, NEXT PHASE on 10 June 2008. This new album features a powerful mix of urban-jazz, drum & bass and reggae tracks featuring Mali's unique and gifted voice, exploring life's rollercoaster emotions, in a mature and melodious way.

On Tuesday 3rd June, Mali performed in Birmingham to launch the Bass Music festival (a Punch Records creation). As part of this, cutting edge, Urban music festival, Mali has been commissioned to perform a new music/visual show, Urban Junglee at Concrete on Wed 18 June.

To date Mali has already performed and recorded at the famous BBC Maida Vale studios in London, as part of BBC's live music sessions, been commissioned by the pioneering development agency, sampad, to create live music scores to D G Phalkes 1913 silent movies and composed and produced for numerous music acts and individuals in the West midlands region.

Mali migrated from Nepal to Birmingham at the age of 12. The culture shock of landing in a foreign UK inner city was a difficult transition. Mali found his solace in music. This led to new friends and connections with Birmingham's music, arts and cultural community and is steadily growing as a pioneering force in the music scene in Birmingham and beyond.

• Urban