Posts Tagged ‘Panjabi’

When the unexpected news came about earlier this summer of Panjabi superstar Diljit readying to unite with one of the UK’s titan music directors in Sukhjit Singh Olk, widely known as “Tru-Skool”, we were instantly on tenterhooks about the results this plethora of talent could conjure up.

With Diljit’s contentious follow-up album to ‘The Next Level’ alongside Honey Singh scrapped, the artist has looked to get back on the straight and narrow and give his music a reboot. With his acting career blossoming, the services of a certain folk architect from Derby were called upon and the journey Back to Basics began. We put the collaboration through its paces and have attempted to dissect the inner workings in order to find out if this move has done the trick.

B2B’s lead track Kharku is a downright earth-shattering starter that sets the precedent for Back to Basics. In his opening gambit Diljit marks his intent in unequivocal style, unencumbered by instruments and indeed rubberstamps the hefty, combative chorus penned by the tremendously talented Veet Baljit. The brooding nature of Kharku is relayed by Tru-Skool and as such sets the tempo at a positively bruising 82 beats per minute. The producer elects to use a punishing variety of percussion as his weapon of choice on the opener and boy does it inflict damage coupled with the matching no-holds-barred bassline! Nonetheless, the spectacle is only enhanced through timeless sarangi bites, perceptive mandolin pieces and swarming tumbi which all combine to harmonising effect.

The dramatic visuals directed by Gifty see our protagonist administer a first-hand lesson in respect to a bunch of trifling goons. Though the adaptation of the concept lacks in imagination, it does seem to sell and does cater to Dosanjh’s growing acting credentials.

Quoted within the inlay “Back 2 Basics… is an attempt to return to a bygone era of distant history” and you’ll find no better demonstration of that than the exemplary Truck. Paying homage to the living legend, maestro and king of all Panjabi producers, Charanjit Ahuja, Tru-Skool finds the ‘same line and wave length’ with Diljit to accomplish quite an astonishing three and half minutes of history.

We were taken aback at the rustic vocal effort mustered by Diljit and the true skill involved to not be overwhelmed by such a finely-tuned, uncut composition. Reminiscent of the sound first created by Ahuja decades ago, Tru-Skool delves into the old school collating the sounds of his tumbi, his harmonium, his tabla alongside mandolin sections performed Amarjit Singh Hayer (Kaos Productions) and the signature Ahuja signature Spanish-style guitar executed by another, often unsung uber-talented UK musician, Pammi Singh Sahib (Sahib G). Moreover, the impeccable harmonium performance is one element to listen out for with its beautiful intricacies and ability to create a real sense of occasion, a truly memorable one at that!

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Half a year on since young producer Manni Sandhu unleashed his debut album My Time, this stonking Garage of our favourite track off the album Sona (feat Bakshi Billa) dropped into cyberspace a few hours ago. Slapping on an additional 30 beats per minute to the original tempo, Manni opts for the shuffling hi-hats and kick drums from UK Garage for this free downloadable mix. Incorporating sounds from Brandy’s Sittin on Top of the World and the familiar UK Garage xylophone, this remix sits really nicely at a tempo that we actually are liking and only adds to the success of the original.

Download the Garage mix for free HERE!

A voice that has been kept under wraps while a pursuit of academia took precedence and a subsequent period abroad as he successfully scaled professional heights; an epitome of the present-day Punjabi striving to achieve, excel in the world and indeed rise to the upper echelons of society.

Having already a forged a formidable singing reputation following his alliance with Moviebox, now Switzerland based vocalist Tej Hundal is back for the long haul with illustrious  composer and music  producer Ravi Bal, responsible for Malkit Singh’s Midas Touch, Surjit Khan’s Headliner and most recently Avtar Maniac’s Haneri, enlisted for musical duties on this 8-track solo project.

Considering Hundal’s background, it is only apt that this fresh venture be named Punjabian Da Raaj. With Ravi Bal at the ship’s helm, his unmistakeable knack of nurturing fledgling talent is key to this partnership coming into fruition. Having a track record elevating the careers of the likes of Lakhwinder Wadali and Preet Harpal amongst others, Hundal’s potent vocal chords are ideal ingredients for Bal to wield his wand upon and yield results for an international audience.

A turbocharged curtain-raiser lies in wait as the title track Punjabian Da Raaj (Ravi Bal Mix) is intended to set proceedings off to a flyer and does precisely that with plenty of gusto from Tej Hundal who is propelled by Ravi Bal’s indomitable musical input.

As the expression goes, “start as you mean to go on” and Hundal does not hesitate in fluent vocal delivery all the while maintaining an all-important razor-edge on this stirring opener with the iconic GT Road at its heart.  PDR also gives an insight into his astonishing, unending range and natural ability to hit challenging notes at ease.

Famed for his seamless innovation and capacity to inject spark into his work, the lynchpin Ravi Bal once more serves up a pumped-up, beat-centric composition designed to take you by surprise on Naina Vale Teer (RBP Head Bop Mix). Despite the  unfamiliar surroundings, Hundal’s versatility shines through ensuring he does not play second-fiddle.

Lined with the boisterous buzz of the algozey is Nakhre (Ravi Bal Desi Mix) and an opportunity for the singer to vent his frustration and make it clear that enough is enough, the emotional-turmoil must end! Producer Bal slips in classy harmonium pieces and ties it all together with folk percussion full of inexplicable appeal.

Teri Fida sees the duo completely ease off the accelerator and create a graceful, easy-listening experience which neatly unites a traditional folk composition alongside a contemporary, minimal soundscape shaped by understated synths and all-around composed exploits on keys.

The ante is upped on  Hon Takre (Ravi Bal Karkoo Mix) where Tej Hundal shifts into combative mode as the vocalist engages a stranglehold on the RBP arrangement to ruthless effect! The pair produce another feat of agile, inspired execution on the urban-angled number coming in the form of Pehle Tor Di.

Accomplished songstress Rani Randeep harmoniously pitches in at the tail-end of album to join the lead protagonist for the scintillating party duet entitled Dollar Ta Pound (Ravi Bal Paisa Mix) with the “Wizard” Ravi Bal integral to making it rain! Diamond-cut chords galore, tumbi strewn wildly and signature RBP percussion will compel you to clap along as both singers perform at full-tilt. However, Tej Hundal’s ace in the hole, a jaw-dropping switch in singing octave takes centre stage and equips the chorus with extra firepower!

Ha Karde rhythmically concludes proceedings with its regimented backdrop and Hundal matching its punchiness with yet another display worth its weight in gold. As per the song, the only question that remains is whether his efforts gain approval?…

Please support the artists by legally purchashing Punjabian Da Raaj for only £3.99 from iTunes.

Follow me on Twitter @HarkBhambra

Synonymous with Bollywood OST excellence, two thirds of Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy join Coke Studio to infuse some of their jazz, rock, blues influences onto a track that collates Panjabi verses from Waris Shah and Baba Ghulam Farid masterpieces. Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa have been the spearhead composers behind some of the most influential albums that have appeared throughout the past two decades which began from their first significant break in 2001 with Dil Chahta Hai. Album successes such as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Bunty Aur Babli (Kajra Re) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna in the early 2000′s really propelled the trio into the spotlight beginning arguably the best periods of their career. Picking up accolades throughout the past five years, their fusion of Western bar blues and synth sounds with Indian classical styles such as Sufi and Hindustani was likened by masses, and this Coke Studio session picks up right from where they left off!

Subhan Allah (Glorious is God) begins with vocalist, now turned actor, Jasbir Jassi providing quite a scintillating shehr that really surprised us showcasing the control and unique tone in his skill set. We actually can’t express our praise enough for the vocal from Jassi. With backing provided from a choir of seven strong, the performance leads into the main section which is sandwiched with riffs galore and more snare and cymbal than in a Neil Peart tribute band! Superb vocals and percussion aside, there was an element of over-production within the performance which felt almost rigid at times, leaving the arrangement almost a bit too constrained. Perhaps thinking of their typical Bollywood audience, sticking to their guns was perhaps the duo’s safest option but loosening the shackles could have made this performance great to really great.

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From the instant we first laid ears on the initial promo for Time Naal, we had a strong inkling this may be a chart-topper in the making and despite competition from other corners, this colourful Manak-E and Kaos Productions joint venture has indeed taken an early lead ahead of its rivals this week. However, we anticipate this single will be more than just a one-week wonder and has the legs to go the distance and dominate dancefloors.

Partnering up with Kaos Productions for the first time since joining VIP Records, the stalwart veteran of the scene takes centre stage on this exceptionally no-nonsense, full-on family entertainer of a track that promises to resonate with the masses. With Manak-E adopting a paternal persona, Time Naal revolves about a father’s strict, bordering on an iron fist approach to parenthood and dealing with his ever-so disobedient, unable to keep track of time offspring!

Alongside Manak-E on this uncompromising, take no prisoners mission is the similarly formidable production outfit Kaos Productions, who have seen a meteoric rise through their impressive grind on Saini Surinder’s Mundra, Jasjot Singh Ghuman’s Yellow Brick Road EP and more recently the unstoppable Gurbhej Brar and his album Panjabi Touch.

Here, the clever ticking of a clock acts as useful extension of the theme and the producers even work in the ominous, clattering sound of a father’s “helping-hand” to great percussive effect! The groovy chord riff, purposeful harmonium pieces and synths brimming with grandeur cap a thoroughly solid production that, admittedly, is less folk than we’re used to from Kaos Productions and instead geared towards crowd-appeal, but the team pull off the transition with remarkable ease and leave us with an unforgettable hookline.

Sticking with the song’s universal concept, VIP Records kept us waiting on the much anticipated Guvy Heer-directed visuals too! Well, here they are and we must say they tie-in cohesively with Manak-E emphatically whipping his three sons into shape. Please support the artists by purchasing Time Naal from iTunes now.

Follow me on Twitter @HarkBhambra

When it comes to the rapidly evolving landscape of fusion dubstep and the experimental electronic genre in the Asian scene, it’s difficult to look past these 2 artists, namely Sound Shikari (formally known as G Productions) and G-Ta for some of the most encouraging interpretations of such progressive production. Both have seen their hair-raising work receive airplay on the BBC Asian Network and we’re still reeling from G-Ta’s collaboration alongside Tigerstyle on the Kudi EP, which also happens to appears here in a VIP variety.

Having gone for the quite simply inspired, filmy-even, title Dishkyan for this collaborative offering, our intrigue only grew as we braced ourselves for a dubstep duel that would, without doubt, be packing substantial heat!

In essence, Dishkyan is an 11-track album that equally showcases the Middle-eastern based producers’ fine work thus far with one previously unheard joint remix that serves as a tribute to the late Kuldeep Manak ji. Sticking with the exclusive, Jhang Diya Kuriya is one to be filed under ‘Dubstep’ and features a set of pristine vocals accompanied by restrained percussion and radiating string pieces which delicately wrap it all together.

So, if you’ve been tracking the madcap pair’s movements closely over the last twelve months, the majority of the album will have already stamped its mark with tracks like the tremendous, snare-soaked Akhiya Dub (Surinder Kaur) and hypnotic Naina Lagey (Dubstep Remix) included. Nevertheless, we welcome the move to join forces and make their bone-shaking material freely accessible, which should do no harm in enhancing the profiles of these eye-catching experimentalists.

With speaker-wrecking dub rhythms at every turn, audacious bass drops and insane bass wobble galore, both Sound Shikari and G-Ta bombard us with knockout showings throughout but at the same time display sophistication amid the mayhem through their intricate, made-to-measure sampling such as is the case on Eyes Lit (Dilber Dubstep) and Kehna Hai Kya (Dubstep Remix). Add into the mix the somewhat muted, soulful snarler Rii with its devotional overtones, G-Ta’s impeccable reworking of Badmarsh & Shri’s Appa and even an enthralling dose of drum and bass courtesy of Sound Shikari’s Ishq Nachaya (Remix), and you have an album that will keep listeners at the edge of their seats and have us immediately craving for more.

Have a listen right now and be sure to grab the complete free download by clicking here!

Follow me on Twitter @HarkBhambra

We were honoured to be given the opportunity to get an exclusive first listen of Tarli Digital’s soon to be released, this Thursday 19^th July to be precise, fourth-studio album #DigiTaal. We were eager to witness first-hand what Tarli had up his sleeve and how he had constructed this 12-track album that somewhat surprisingly is rumoured to be his last. So let us get straight into the action!

Track 1 – The DigiTaal Intro (feat. Hollywood Harv)

As a fan of his work providing much humour over the years on numerous releases and with him lending his comedic brilliance on Tarli’s previous album Project Rehab on Kholo Kholo Dat, it was only apt the one and only Hollywood Harv return on the latest release. With algozey, dhad, dhol and sarangi as well as an ample slice of bass you can’t really go wrong and Tarli goes all out folk on this intro as Harv traces the “musical genius/mad-man’s” footsteps and colourfully outlines #DigiTaal’s premise.

Track 2 – Mittran Da Naa Karde (feat. Dalvinder Singh & The Dhol Foundation), Lyrics: Happy Bains (UK)

Released two weeks before the album, Mittran De Naa Karde or MDNK for short has been doing the rounds on our TV screens and on the airwaves and in the main has received widespread credit for its lively characteristics stemming from the incredible catchy lyrics written by Happy Bains, the string pieces and the TDF percussive backbone. As we’ve noted before, having worked with each other for a decade, Dalvinder and Tarli have realised what works and MDNK hits the sweet-spot for both.

Track 3 – Kudi Sapni Vargi (feat. Nishawn Bhullar), Lyrics: Balraj Bhullar (India)

After the buzz created prior to this track it would be a shame to let that momentum fizzle out but Tarli presses on with yet another raucous track alongside the “Folkstar” Nishawn Bhullar and a track we’ve eagerly anticipated since Tarli lifted the lid on the line-up! With 2 solo albums under his belt already, Bhullar is no spring-chicken and shows on Kudi Sapni Vargi why he is highly regarded. The brilliant composition carved by Tarli is eaten up by the quick-on-the-draw singer as the staccato chords coupled with the cheeky flute and deadly bassline inflict substantial damage. Though we’ve all heard tracks of this lyrical nature before, Kudi Sapni Vargi ticks all the right boxes and we consider this track to be a contender to receive the video treatment.

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Marcus James is the evidently talented producer who’s been behind the production desk manufacturing Shide Boss’ most recent tracks including It’s Alright, Rainbow and Ni Sohniye. Set to release later this month, James presents a fresh new and exciting sound which collaborates the efforts of fluttering British Panjabi/Hindi vocalist Biti along with another glistening female songstress, Reesha. Giving plenty of time to develop, the teasing bass drop and hypnotising synth’s really build into quite an exquisite number which urges you to instantly hit the replay button.

Were excited with what the Karman Entertainment label are releasing and with the impressive Fire-Tiger EP that dropped earlier this year, I confidently can say that it’s a bold start from this fresh experimental collective.

With his future in the business very much up in the air, fan-favourite Garry Sandhu is reunited with the producer responsible for Sandhu’s biggest hit thus far Tohar and joins forces with classy songstress Sudesh Kumari to pay homage to the folk duet legends Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot with their rendition of Ik Gal.

Again, like with his recent collaborative effort Brick alongside GV, Ik Gal has received overwhelming support from Garry’s loyal fanbase that has catapulted this desi tete-a-tete into the dizzy heights of the mainstream downloads chart!

Sandhu gives it a real go vocally to emulate the Chamkila swagger, adding that mischief and forthrightness whereas Kumari, as ever, is the harmonising factor and eloquently conveys her pent up frustration in her role as the voice of reason. On the musical front, DJ Dips has kept the composition traditional and opts for a barebones folk production with tumbi, banjo and dhol doing the major legwork to perhaps retain the original’s uncut, folk authenticity.

Ik Gal is now available to purchase via the iTunes link below.