Archive for January, 2012

Falling off the exceptional album that was White Bangles, Khan and T-Series enlist video director Azeem I. Parkar to cast visuals for the superb single Majboor further highlighting the exceptional singing talent that is Feroz Khan. A singing sensation who is uniquely talented, the track showcases his capability to effortlessly deliver a beautifully toned vocal and present it in the most simplistic of ranges. Our review of the excellent album will follow shortly..

Coming off Dalvinder Singh’s soon to be released album Born To Singh, Vaang Shera De is the second single to drop following the breath of fresh air that was Ishq. This latest release sees dynamic duo Dalvinder Singh and Tarli Digital switch things up and head in a desi, no-holds barred direction that is a stark contrast to their earlier single.

Singh sets out his stall on this bustling effort with an assertive shehr but this is merely the calm before the storm as Vaang Shera De bursts into life with Tarli Digital the architect through sharp percussion, unwavering tumbi and striking stab chords. Dalvinder goes all out vocally to do justice to Sukha Kang’s lyrics with him especially pushing the ‘chords on the final verse. His unflappable enthusiasm is equalled throughout with the music provided by Tarli, who executes those signature dhol rolls, rippling sarangi pieces and a heavy-duty bass line with great precision.

Another plus point is the formidable backing vocals by the trio of Tarli Digital himself, Meshi Eshara and Harry Matharu that contribute to the ferocity of the track. Lastly, Bodhi Technique have raised the bar with their vibrant, urban angle for the visuals and are sure to turn heads with the shots they’ve captured!

Head to iTunes to purchase the single and show your support for the artists.

Follow me on Twitter @HarkBhambra

From the moment Gidheh Vich Nach explodes out of the blocks with its tantalising dhol-reggae chord intro you are likely to experience a sense of euphoria and an overwhelming urge to get that head bobbing. Prepare for that to escalate to a whole lot more upon the arrival of Gurbhej Brar, the crackerjack voice behind Chak Dehn Geh, which incidentally was our hotly contested #1 track of 2011!

Kaos Productions have rapidly forged quite a reputation through their mammoth beats, laced with melodic bass lines and generous helpings of that oh-so addictive dub vibe that we can’t get enough of. Here, they’ve again upped the ante and have us relishing the prospect of further releases courtesy of  this powerhouse production outfit. As well as the outrageously good tumbi, their percussion never fails to astound and is pivotal to the superb chorus-drop.

Whereas Chak Dehn Geh was an in-your-face type of anthem, Gidheh Vich Nach is a whole different animal that is bound to set dance floors ablaze and could very well be one of the anthems of 2012! Brar’s raw vocals are toned down slightly but it’s just what this type of track needed and its clean, catchy lyrics (‘Aaja..’ hook is ridiculously memorable!) will work wonders to add to the buzz around Gurbhej Brar as he gears up to release his debut solo album Punjabi Touch on VIP Records.

Please support the artists and purchase the single via iTunes.

Updated with official video.

Follow me on Twitter @HarkBhambra

The visuals for one of the finest tracks that featured on the memorable Maharajas album were released a short while ago with Jazzy B taking the centrestage acting out the role of Sucha Soorma. Whilst the video appears graphic at times, kudos must be given to the directors for sourcing footage of the Mighty King Kuldeep Manak Ji singing the same song in his earlier years. Appreciation must also be given to the same directors for portraying the story of Sucha Soorma, hopefully educating people who have yet to read/watch about the fearless folk legend.

There’s no denying that the singles gold-rush has upped the music volume being released and our Top 30 is a testament to the boom! Nevertheless, we’re a bit old-school and feel the art and accomplishment of albums shouldn’t fall by the wayside because of this strategic-shift. Though the numbers have dropped for the full-scale variety, 2011 was graced by some of biggest releases courtesy of blockbuster names so it wasn’t as straightforward to compile as you may think… Here’s our (better late than never) lowdown and as always we’d love to receive your feedback!

Number 8 (Released August 2011)

Alfaaz – The Boy Next Door
Alfaaz + Honey Singh - Haye Mere Dil
Alfaaz + Honey Singh - Yaar Bathere
Alfaaz - Eid
Vocals: Alfaaz
Music: Honey Singh
Songwriter: Alfaaz

With the backing of (Yo Yo) Honey Singh, Alfaaz blew up in the Punjabi music world with his massive debut album entitled The Boy Next Door. If YouTube hits are a yardstick by which to measure impact then it’s safe to say Alfaaz has made more than a hefty impression!

The coming together of the soulful singer’s contemporary poetics and eclectic sounds brought to the table by producer Singh proved a winning formula. None more so than in Haye Mera Dil, a wonderfully made track with its acoustic guitar, western drums, regal violin pieces and of course the bridging rap that has become one of Singh’s USPs. This conveniently leads onto Yaar Bathere, a hard-hitting track with a hostile, perhaps even bitter feel to it that is drilled home by the venting rapper. Even though there are more conventional desi numbers on the album, the heartfelt Eid is another standout for its string composition and melting vocals.
Click here to purchase Alfaaz – The Boy Next Boor

Number 7 (Released July 2011)

Durga Rangila – Karo Na Pyar Mitro
Durga Rangila - Karo Na Pyar Mitro
Durga Rangila - Yaar Badaldi Reh Jayengi
Durga Rangila - Mirchan Vaar Ke
Vocals: Durga Rangila
Music: Charanjit Ahuja
Songwriter(s): Amarjit Cheema, Karamjit Sidhu Sahon Wala, Satta Kotli Wala, Shonki Hind Gairi Mandi Wala, Bahadar Kakron Wala, Bajinder Mustfabadia, Deep Alachouria & Jelly Manjitpuri

When certain names crop up in our music timeline, we are obliged to lend our ears in recognition of greatness. So it’s difficult to argue against the case for legendary duo Durga Rangila and Charanjit Ahuja to not be featured amongst the crème de la crème of the year just gone. Putting into words what these men have achieved over their illustrious careers is challenging to say the least but when these elite artists – nay, institutions – rekindled their renowned chemistry on Karo Na Pyar Mitro we knew we would be in for something special!

Being the heart-tugging specialist that he is, Rangila promptly sets the ball rolling with Karo Na Pyar Mitro, a cautionary tale of deceit that has the classic Durga hallmark. The heavy-hearted singer follows up in a similar vein for Yaar Badaldi Reh Jayengi with Ahuja delivering the goods on production as only the maestro can. For those perhaps questioning Rangila’s aptitude for something a tad light-hearted, Rabb Koi Jayengi, Mirchan Vaar Ke and Daru offer some relief albeit in his own irrepressible, full-bodied style.
Click here to purchase Karo Na Pyar Mitro

Number 6 (Released February 2011)

Satinder Sartaaj – Cheerey Wala Sartaaj
Satinder Sartaaj - Cheerey Waalea
Satinder Sartaaj - Ishqe Lyi Qurbania
Satinder Sartaaj - Dil Sabh De Vakhre
Satinder Sartaaj - Yahma
Vocals: Satinder Sartaaj
Music: Jatinder Shah
Songwriter: Satinder Sartaaj

There are a select few extraordinary individuals who have a profound command of the Panjabi language and its close affiliation with Sufism… One of these is Satinder Sartaaj. Riding high on the whirlwind success of his ground-breaking first studio album released in 2010, Sartaaj and Jatinder Shah returned with their outstanding 2011 offering, Cheerey Wala Sartaaj.

While we believe there is no substitute for his live performances, the duo have translated the work with little compromise and experimented musically to give it a refreshed outlook. Both parties brought their A-game for the title-track as the sweeping percussion plays its part in enhancing Sartaaj’s boundless poetry that conveys a deep message of longing. This heavenly calibre is matched on Ishqe Lyi Qurbania as the virtuosity on show sends us into sensory bliss. Both the delightfully melodic Dil Sabh De Vakhre and wittily-written Yahma adopt a subtle rock-flavour as Sartaaj captivates us with his philosophical musings intertwined with personal anecdotes. Through his passion for music, Sartaaj has kept alive the Sufi legacy and managed to achieve a unanimous appeal across ages and borders.
Click here to purchase Cheerey Wala Sartaaj

Number 5 (Released October 2011)

Lakhwinder Wadali – Naina De Buhe – The Soulful Strings
Lakhwinder Wadali + Wadali Brothers - Mai Taa Pinni Ae
Lakhwinder Wadali - Thaiya Thaiya
Lakhwinder Wadali - Sanwal Rangiye
Lakhwinder Wadali - Churi
Lakhwinder Wadali - Waghe Di Laqeer
Vocals: Lakhwinder Wadali
Music: Jatinder Jeetu & Tigerstyle
Songwriter(s): Sanjeev Anand Ji, Traditional: Baba Bulleh Shah, Jaswant Baaz, R.P Deewana, Sarvarinder & Sardar Ram Singh

Lakhwinder Wadali’s Naina De Buhe has featured prominently on our blog — and with very good reason. Encompassing the best of Panjabi, Sufi and Classical, this is a musical feast of the highest order from start to finish! As the months have passed since its release, our appreciation of the fine craftsmanship by Wadali and producers Jatinder Jeetu/Tigerstyle has grown inordinately.

Bolstered by equally opulent videos, the release saw Lakhwinder tee-off alongside the senior Wadali cohort for Mai Taa Pinni Ae, a hearty qawali-drenched collaboration that set a high-marker for the rest of the album. We were never in doubt as to whether track 2 onwards would cut the mustard and tacks like the retro Thaiya Thaiya, otherworldly romantic number Sanwal Rangiye and acoustically-inclined Churi all do their bit in making this magical release click.
Click here to purchase Naina De Buhe – The Soulful Strings

Probably the most pinnacle moment for one of the biggest UK Bhangra bands, the first performance after the joining of the two forces, Chirag and Pehchan. What was to follow was a journey that led the formidable group to become one of the most breathtaking live performing bands the UK had seen. This performance itself was delivered by twelve (yes twelve!) band members, of which one I am proud to say is my uncle (Pali Neer playing the drums). Singing the Mohammed Rafi classic, Desh Premio Mangal Singh’s delivered a vocal which was exquisite almost championing it alongside the excellent original.

It’s saddening to think that perhaps moments like these will never be experienced again but stick with us as we’re going to try our best to showcase live music over the next couple of months which will hopefully, fingers crossed, allow us to help you become the makers of our own history.

It would be remiss of us not to showcase this visual even if it was released a couple of days ago. Since the Naina De Buhe album fell into our hands in October, we have remained in awe of the work featured right throughout the disc. Churi is a track which describes a particular lady’s strife with her counteractions with love and subsequently her pain after not being successful in who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Directed excellently by Sandeep Sharma, the video is shot with bright and vivid colours and perfectly portrays the story of the modern day Heer and Ranjha.

We’re unsure why the percussion differs from the audio in the video and the one that features on the CD, perhaps it was intentional do give the track a different feel. Personally, I think it should have remained the same as the audio CD as we were massive fans of the live drum elements.

Riding high in our Top 30 of last year, Amrinder Gill’s collaboration with Dr Zeus on the track Judaa received it’s very own visual earlier and typical to video’s that Amrinder has featured in, all or most have been really high quality set in picturesque locations with simplistic but effective storyboards and some excellent shot taking. It’s admirable when a video compliments and excels track even further.

The sceptic amongst us wanted to believe that the living Panjabi pioneer Manmohan Waris was toying with new adventures to possibly open new avenues through his most recent releases but us, the true fans want to see the real Manmohan Singh Heer to reignite the flame which made us initially fall in love with his music. Every year since the Punjabi Virsa live concert concept was tested in 2004, we have been spoiled with great lyricism from writers including Jasbir Gunachauria, Debi Makhsoospuri and Mangal Hathur but through his excellent vision and production talent, Sangtar has excelled year on year.

This year sees the brothers show from their tour in Melbourne, Australia which was filmed on September 25th, 2011. The hard copies of the show are yet to surface but few videos have creeped onto the world wide web with a particular video that caught our eye. Penned by lyricist Kundha Singh Dhaliwal, Manmohan Waris delivers excellently Dil Udjoon Udjoon Karda which is a real light hearted, fun and playful number. Singing about the the tribulations of boys reaching their late teens in Panjab, Manmohan showcases the exciting and enjoyable times of male youths chasing their lustful aspirations throughout their college life.

Elated at the fact Waris Ji still remains one of the greatest talents in the Panjabi scene, a highlight must be shown on the excellent musicians that stand behind the trio every year, the show would remain silent without these excellent talents.