Archive for June, 2011

My word, Skrillex drops another subwoofer smasher. This man has no boundaries, even if he is taking the well renowned Nero’s beats and tearing it apart.

This is what great UK Bhangra music should sound like. A great UK born vocalist that fuses Desi/Panjabi music with a hint of Western influences. Can’t wait for the album to release on the 30th of June which can be pre-ordered by clicking this link. Tracklisting for the album is as follows:

01 – Gabru Panjab Dha
02 – Skit One
03 – Panga Peh Giyah
04 – England Nachdha
05 – Ik Tereh Karkeh
06 – Pat Liyah
07 – Skit Two
08 – Challeh Mundhia
09 – Jija Saali
10 – Skit Three
11 – Ho Giyah Sharabi
12 – Jaddhu
13 – Skit Four
14 – Chooteh Laareh
15 – Skit Five
16 – JK Bolian

One of my favourite tracks off the outstanding Mirrorwriting album, Shoulda gets the Kaoss Pad treatment using nothing but the excellent vocals sounds of Jamie Woon. This guy never ceases to amaze me.

Quite possibly one of the greatest collaboration albums that I have in my collection. Released on Kamlee Records in 1999, the album consisted of six tracks which contained no dancefloor anthems but in my opinion, Sukshinder Shinda’s greatest ever masterstroke. Often I have conversation with friends about Sukshinder and we always come up to the conclusion: we wish that he would one day return to the beast of a producer to recreate the genius that exist within albums such as Men of Respect, The OG’s and Dhol Beat Dho.

Combining with one of the greatest singers from the UK Balwinder Safri, the album began with the upbeat Kadhi Puch Mitran Da Haal but in my opinion, the album excelled from Track 2 onwards. Kyon Door Door Rendo Oh, Ankhein Teri and Kardi Eshara Luk Luk are honestly some of the greatest gems that were created around the 2000 era and it’s actually quite saddening to know that the same collaboration will never exist again (if it does, I’ll eat my own hat, seriously).

Hopefully this has sparked the same memories in your grey matter as it did with mine, if you have any suggestions or albums you would like to see up here in its entirety then let me know. This blog is yours as much as it is mine.

Out on the 17th July, Chase & Status’ new single received its very own visual today featuring man of the moment, Tinie Tempah. Some say its the best track on their album, some says its the worst, eff it, I still like it.

Watch out for the remix that includes Wretch 32 btw, should be sicka!

Featuring on their upcoming album Upgrade, Swami take us on a tour with them showing us an insight into their tour shows and studio sessions which is of course accompanied with the sounds of their newest single (free download from FB) Dumdaraka.

Over the next couple of weeks I shall try to pick out some of the albums that really have shaped our industry and for some of you will hopefully bring back some memories to when these gems were originally released.

First off is Star Crazy 2, If you’re an 80′s baby like me then look away at the next sentence. Bally Sagoo’s masterpiece Star Crazy 2 shall be reaching 12 years old later this year. Yes, as (star) crazy as it reads, this album is nearly 12 years old but for me it feels like a yesterday release. I was actually in high school at the time and I distinctly remember visiting an old bollywood video store requesting for the shop owner to purchase the album so that I could buy the album with whatever money I could conjure up. The excitement when I finally opened up the cassette to play in the car journey home was immense.

The intro has you instantly hooked, nobody will ever say that they never tried to emulate that freshy accent ‘What we still need… is some more bass… in this place‘.

And then the mandolin kicked in. Pendha Giddha started off the journey with that distinctive Bally Sagoo ragga dub feel attached within it along with the rare vocals of Satwinder Bitti. Gem after gem continued; Mundeyo Aagee Oye, Aaja Nachle, Punjabiyan Di Shaan and Preeto De Ghar all stood out as classics but were all totally different from each other. The starting melody of Aaja Nachle, the introducing speech to Punjabiyan Di Shaan and those tumbi/vaja pieces within Preeto De Ghar all have stayed embedded within our grey matter that just will never leave. This is why we call these albums classics.

Ask any Bhangra/Desi-head the impact the collaboration album with Lakhwinder Wadali Unpredictable had on their lives. If they tell you anything negative then sorry, they aren’t really a Bhangra/Desi-head. Mr Sahota has now teamed up with Harbhajan Shera to bring an awesome dhol slash guitar infused banger. Open hi-hats galore, I love how this track gels so well when at first when looking on paper you would think it will never work.

Another stonking megamix from San Franciscan Rav-E which is now available for free download. Featuring the latest hits including Dupatta (Meet Malkeet/Sudesh Kumari), Challeh Mundiah (JK), Photo Rakh Ke (Bups Saggu) and Jassi Sidhu’s Nai Reesan, this mix is perfectly ready for those parties in the sun. Enjoy.

Fareed Ayaz + Abu Muhammad – Kangna

Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi – Ni Oothaan Waale

What Coke Studio has done for Pakistani live music has been nothing short of superb. Now within its fourth season, capitalising on the successes of the previous three seasons Rohail Hyatt and the rest of his superb production team continue to explore the diverse range of language, music and poetry that exists within Pakistan.

This performance will definitely not be the last I will post of the Coke Studio so let these video’s of Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad and Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi be an introduction to CS if you have never experienced such great production before.