Red Baraat. Photo by Ferny Chung / Retouching by Louis F. Cuffari.

Bands that generate a buzz often struggle to translate those whispers into more widespread success, but Red Baraat has managed to do just that. The band’s infectious blend of horns and the percussive rhythms of South Asian bhangra are on full display with Shruggy Ji, its latest release that came out just this week. As of this writing, Shruggy Ji holds the top spot on the iTunes World Music chart, just ahead of Red Baraat’s 2009 recording, Chaal Baby, which is at #2.

Word about the band spread as a direct result of its energetic live performances, and D.C.’s reaction to Red Baraat is emblematic of what has happened in cities across the country. When DCist first profiled the group, nearly a year ago, it was for a sold out show at U Street Music Hall. When the band returned to the area in the fall, it sold out The Hamilton. The obvious next step is a show at 9:30 Club, where Red Baraat will support Shruggy Ji on Thursday. Add to this a performance at the White House, huge festival shows, and tours across Europe and North America, and the future looks bright, indeed. But percussionist/bandleader Sunny Jain has kept things from going to is head.

“We’re just enjoying it,” Jain said in a recent interview with DCist. “We’re thrilled to go play anywhere and everywhere. We enjoy traveling, we enjoy hanging out with one another, so in that sense nothing’s really changed.”

What has changed, somewhat, is the material and songs that the band draws from during its shows. Previously, Jain would have the musicians play his own songs and arrangements, or classic Bollywood and bhangra tunes that he adapted for this band. For Shruggy Ji, many of the songs were contributions from band members, who Jain chose specifically because they come from disparate musical backgrounds. The result is a more eclectic sound that adds more funk and grit to the mix. So while the album has been categorized as world music, in many ways this is a uniquely American recording by virtue of the fact that there is no other place in the world where this particular set of skills and influences could unite.

“Essentially what we were trying to accomplish was to tie a concept together with the music and repertoire we’ve been working on over the past couple years,” Jain explained. “It’s culling together the idea that there’s this alter ego in all of us, that comes out on the dance floor or in the night time.”

Jain also took a different approach to recording this album, recognizing that studio and live performances are fundamentally different experiences for both the musician and the listener. Rather than simply going into the studio and reproducing a live show, which would likely lack the energy of a performance, the instruments were methodically tracked to a metronome. This precision allowed for more options in the mixing process and also creates the possibility of eventual remixes by DJs and producers.

“Our first album was just two months after being together and we were at a very young sound,” said Jain. “What really stands out with this recording is that we’re a band that’s been together for a while.”

Though Red Baraat has taken a more sophisticated approach to its recording process, its spirit is still very much rooted in live performance. For Jain, that is still where the band shines and where it can explore.

“There’s no set thing in my head. I don’t personally feel like we’ve established a sound.” he said. “We all have the ability to improvise, so every performance is different and we’re going to change it up every time.”

Red Baraat will perform an early show at 9:30 Club on Thursday, January 24, 2013. 6 p.m. doors. $20.