Tigerstyle - Kawan 2 Remix EP

Tigerstyle are getting ready to release the Kawan 2 Remix EP, which is out tomorrow. Bikram Singh and Gunjan's reinterpretation of their own modern classic has at last received the Digi-Bhang treatment.

The remix version of Kawan 2 is a great EDM track. It has depth, sparkle and three impressive drops. However, for me the original Kawan remix works better than the remix of Kawan 2. The vocals and lyrics are an important in both versions of Kawan. When Bikram and Gunjan sing together, it's gorgeous. But in this remix of Kawan 2, the vocals were cut substantially and I missed them.

The remix has a video. Its dark mood mirrors the track and the two work well together. It is impressive and simple, two things other Bhangra producers should be aiming for in their videos.

Rimshox - Ambersariya

Rimshox has put a new track on his SoundCloud page. The Newcastle based producer has remixed Ambersariya from the film Fukrey. Rimshox has kept Sona Mohapatra's vocals intact and added his own effects over the top. The remix works well. It has a light summery quality to it with a chilled out vibe.

Rimshox has promised a download, so hopefully it will be out soon.

Karsh Kale Remixes Aiyo Ji

Karsh Kale, who was invited to perform at the White House for President Barack Obama, has released a remix of Salim Sulaiman's Aiyo Ji on his Sound Cloud page. The original is from the film Satyagraha and features the vocals of Shradha Pandit.

There is something uplifting and old school Asian Underground about the track. The remix doesn't drown out the original track and Karsh knows when to let the vocals shine through. There was another remix on the Satyagraha soundtrack, but it was bad house track. I rarely like a remix as as much as the original, but this track is as good as or even better than the original version.

Salim Sulaiman and Karsh Kale are scheduled to perform together at this year's WOMAD festival. This track should go down well with the crowd.

Tigerstyle - Zulfaan De Naag

Tigerstyle have released the fifth single from their award nominated album Digi-Bhang. Zulfaan De Naag features the vocals of Kaur B and has four official remixes.

This song was one of my favourite tracks from the album. Zulfaan De Naag is commercial, catchy and girly. Kaur B's vocals are brilliant and there is a good amount of bass.

Four producers have remixed the song each bringing their own style to Zulfaan De Naag. There is a dark and slightly sinister element in Talal Qureshi's mix that is effective. The Monstaboy remix is glamorous and is well suited to the dance floor. G-ta's remix is full of glittery bass which keeps the girly theme despite the heavy dubstep. The Wobble Maharajas remix has a nicely contrasting middle section. The remixes of each Digi-Bhang single have been something extra to look forward to and this is my favourite set of remixes.

Krissy & Lady Kash - This Is Love (Desi Remix)

Krissy and Lady Kash, a singer songwriter and a rapper from Singapore, have made a cover version of Will.i.am's This Is Love.

The duo's Desi remix incorporates Tamil lyrics. Thanks to the language change and the lack of male vocalists the track has a different feel to the original. It's more relaxed and romantic. There is a simple video accompanying the song with shots on a beach and a night scene featuring sparklers. 

If you like this interpretation of This Is Love, you can download it from Lady Kash's website.

Superjones Remixes Saajna

Superjones, a producer who has worked with DCS and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's vocals, has remixed Saajna  from the film I Me Aur Main.

Instead of making a dubstep remix Superjones has tuned Saajna into a drum and bass track. It's refreshing as most Bollywood remixes these days are dubstep or bad house tracks. It sounds different from the original, especially the middle part of the track, but the song is enhanced and lengthened by Superjones' additions. Falak Shabir's vocals are kept intact and this keeps the atmosphere of the original.  

If you like Superjones' version of Saajna you can download it from his SoundCloud page. 
 

Tigerstyle - Dhi Punjab Di

Tigerstyle have released the fourth single from their album Digi-Bhang. Dhi Punjab Di features the vocals of Jaspinder Narula and has a video set in the Punjab.

Fans of Tigerstyle have complained that the duo's recent tracks are not traditional enough. Dhi Punjab Di will appeal to those who like their bhangra to contain dhol. It's modern, but still firmly rooted in the fields of the Punjab.

Women usually only feature in bhangra tracks as the male singer's object of affection, but this single is different. Dhi Punjab Di is made for women who want to break out of the giddha circle. Only Tigerstyle could add enough bass to match the power of Jaspinder Narula's vocals.

The video is simple, colourful and traditional. There is a magnificent tree with people dancing and swinging under it. Unlike other Punjabi music videos which portray a golden age of Punjab, Dhi Punjab Di is not kitschy or overly nostalgic.
 

Jai-Parthiv feat. Priti Menon - Soniye Hiriye

Jai-Parthiv at Studio Unplugged have released a track featuring Priti Menon. Soniye Hiriye is a reworking of Kangna by Dr Zeus and Soniye Hiriye by Shael blended together in one track.

The song is cleverly put together and sounds different from the original versions. Even though lyrics are taken from two songs it works well and does not sound like two separate songs thanks to the unchanging accompaniment. Priti's vocals are brilliant and I like it when a woman sings the grammatical lyrics of a man. 

If you like Soniye Hiriye, you can download it from the Studio Unplugged SoundCloud page.

Talal Qureshi Remixes Rita Morar's Piya

Talal Qureshi, whose music was called the sound of the future by Bobby Friction, has released his version of Rita Morar's Piya on SoundCloud. It's a great remix which keeps Rita's beautiful vocals intact. I liked the atmosphere in the original track and Talal has skillfully retained it. There is something special about this version and I think I like it better than the original.

The BBC Brings Bizet to Bollywood Via Bradford

Last night the city of Bradford was turned into a film set for Bollywood Carmen Live. BBC Three's Bollywood adaptation of Bizet's opera was broadcast live from the centre of Bradford.

It featured well-known faces including Meera Syal, Preeya Khalidas and Abhay Deol. Honey Kalaria did the choreography and taught the 3,000 members of the audience a dance routine. It was an ambitious project and it was nice to see something Bollywood inspired on the TV.

Music is a significant part in opera and Bollywood films. However Bollywood Carmen Live was let down by the music and the songs. Kuljit Bhamra had arranged the music and I was looking forward to Bizet's score fused with Desi beats. Instead there was a mix of contemporary English pop songs, overplayed Bollywood tunes and the desecration of some Bollywood classics.

Songs by Rihanna, Adele and Kesha were used in the retelling of Carmen. Why were they in the show when they have no connection to  Bollywood or Bizet? The title song from Khabi Khabie and Hari Krishna Hari Ram were given English lyrics and the whole effect was cringe worthy. Chammak Challo, Panjabi MC's Mundiya To Bach Ke and the Pussycat Doll's version of Jai Ho were also used. These songs are good, but they are old,  use western vocalists and arguably are not typical Bollywood songs. Mundiya is over 10 years old - it's as if the last decade of bhangra never happened. 

Tigerstyle - Boss

Tigerstyle are releasing Digi-Bhang next week. A video for the single Boss and four new remixes of the song will also be released on the same day.

Boss is full of drama and atmosphere. It divides into neat sections which mix different styles. There's plenty of dhol, bass and dubstep. RK Mendhi provides some impressive vocals and the lyrics were written by Ranbir Jagatpuri. They appear together again on another Digi-Bhang track.

The remixes are very different from each other and focus on different aspects of the track. All the remixes keep RK Mendhi's vocals which shows how good they are. D-Boy Bawse adds additional vocals alongside RK Mendhi's and the remix works well. Matt the Alien briefly changes the pitch of the vocals and gives the song a laid back feel. Boss is Jakes Hench's second time remixing a Tigerstyle track. His Boss remix is as complex as his remix of Ay-Ha!. With it's eastern vibe and assortment of additional sounds the Caballo remix is my favourite.

Shweta Subram - Saadi Galli Aaja (Breezer Mix)

 

Shweta Subram, a singer who was born in Dubai and grew up in Canada, has released a cover version of Saadi Galli Aaja from the film Nautanki Saala. The song is a collaboration between Shweta and Jai-Parthiv at Studio Unplugged in Mumbai. 

 

Along with Shweta's wonderful vocals, this Breezer Mix has Sandeep Thakur on violin and Premil Parikh on guitar.The added instruments give the track a soulful kick and complement Shweta's voice. It's not easy to cover a song successfully, especially one that has had so much airplay, but this version works brilliantly. The track takes enough inspiration from the original, but has it's own elements to make it unique and special.

Saadi Galli Aaja (Breezer Mix) can be downloaded from the Studio Unplugged SoundCloud page. 

Swami - Back It Up Remixes

Swami have released the full seven track digital single of Back It Up. As well as the three mixes of the song that have been released, there are four additional versions of the song.

The DJ Swami remix keeps the bhangra influences of the Desi version. There are some nice dark moments during the track.The Subs Dub It Up version is much more minimalist interpretation of Back It Up. There is a nice acoustic section in the middle and it has a very different feel to the original version.

Both remixes show off a different side to the song and I'm not sure which I like the best. A vocoder mix and an instrumental version of the original song are included in the release.

Swami - Back It Up (Nazran Beats Remix)

Swami, whose track Mehbooba featured in a film starring the Olsen twins, have released a remix of their latest single on their website. Nazran Beats has remixed Back It Up which was released last month as a free download. This new version features additional vocals from Lovely Pawar, who trained under Kaka Bhaniawala. 

This remix changes the feel  of Back It Up completely. Lovely's added vocals make the track sound more Punjabi and give it a rustic touch. However, I'm not sure if they blend well enough with Sups' and Liana's. It's a good remix, but the Desi version of Back It Up is still my favourite so far.

The Nazran Beats mix will be released on the full digital single of Back It Up in March. If you can't wait until then, you can download it from Swami's website.

Harlem Shake - The Desi Versions

The Harlem Shake is the youtube sensation of the moment. Using a clip from Harlem Shake by Baauer, a person performs crazy dance moves and then is joined by friends usually wearing funny costumes. It seems like every minute someone uploads their version of the song. There were some great Desi versions of Gangnam Style, and there are some Desi versions of the Harlem Shake emerging. Here is a round up of the best.

The Desi Hype Sarj Step Edit

The Freshie / Bollywood Edition

Romay - Ram Teri Ganga

Romay, the producer who set up his own record label called Acoustic Science, has released a Bollywood remix via his SoundCloud page. Ram Teri Ganga was made in the Friction Lab and first played on Bobby Friction's show back in April 2012.

The track is a remix of the title track from the 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili. The remix starts off slowly and builds. In true Romay style the is packed with dark notes and an atmospheric bassline.

Romay has made Ram Teri Ganga available as a free download via SoundCloud, so make sure you add it to your collection now. 

Panjabi Hit Squad Remix Gangnam Style

Panjabi Hit Squad have released their remix of popular Korean pop song Gangnam Style. The VIP Desi Remix has been played on the Asian Network, but it has finally been made available for download on SoundCloud. Panjabi Hit Squad have cleverly incorporated lots of well known Bhangra tracks into their remix. Sadi Gali by RDB, Hai Hai by Panjabi Hit Squad, High Heels by Jaz Dhami, Has Has by Surinder Rattan and Metz n Trix and Janeeman by Raxstar are all set against PSY's crazy vocals.

As PHS say on their SoundCloud page: "Downlad, Play and TURN IT UP!!"

Desi Gangnam Style

Almost everyone all over the world has heard of Gangnam Style, the Korean pop single that is the most like video in youtube history. The song has spawned numerous remixes and parodies. But apart from incorporating Gangnam Style into dances at Asian weddings, very few of these parodies have a Desi theme. There have been a few bhangra remixes put onto youtube, but they were so bad that they were not worth blogging about.

Finally there is a good Desi remix of Gangnam Style. Mickey Singh has come up with a Punjabi version that pays tribute to PSY's hit without destroying it. Unlike the other remixes, the use of dhol is kept to a minimum which doesn't drown out the Gangnam instrumental. The lyrics are in Punjabi and work well with the Gangam theme. There is definitely a bhangra flavour to the remix and is almost as crazy as the original. It is a pity that this remix has been released now at the end of the wedding season, as I think it would have worked well on the dancefloor at Desi weddings.


If you like the Desi remix of Gangnam Style, you can download it  from Mickey Singh's SoundCloud page here.

Hat Tip to UrbanAsian

Tigerstyle - Ay-Ha!

Tigerstyle, whose music featured on the soundtrack of a video game called Project Gotham 3, are releasing their new single Ay-Ha! tomorrow. Ay-Ha! is the third song from their upcoming album Digi-Bhang.

The track kicks off with some inventive beat boxing before launching into a  loud and proud bhangra dance track. However, as this is a song from Tigerstyle it is no ordinary bhangra dance track. Traditional vocals from Sarbjeet Kaur and Billa Bakshi are set against some heavy bass and choppy beats. The various effects and instruments blend well together and the track makes an instant aural impact.

Ay-Ha! should please those who thought Ik Banere neglected bhangra fans. Whilst not as unique as Ik Banere, Ay-Ha! is far more accessible. However, it is significantly shorter than both Ik Banere and Kudi. I have listened to the complete track but just I was getting into it, the song finished. As there is so much going on another minute would have helped to process all the great new sounds that Tigerstyle are throwing out. 

Jaz Dhami - High Heels (Ole Ole mix)

Jaz Dhami's High Heels seems to be song of the moment. It's spent four weeks in the BBC Asian Network Download Chart and it's currently number one. It samples / borrows Ole Ole from the 1994 hit Bollywood film Yeh Dillagi. The tune is the same, but the lyrics are different.

An enterprising person on Soundcloud has mixed the two tracks together. Whilst the result is not brilliant (if however you love it you can download it for free), it does show just how similar these two tracks are. Artists are often inspired by music not made by them, but when they borrow so much, they should credit the original artist. Mixing two tracks together is an interesting way of highlighting plagiarism.

As I loved Ole Ole, High Heels sounds cliched and unoriginal. But I think the video for the single is also cliched and unoriginal. Scandalously dressed models dancing and surrounded by cars, with token shots of the girl's shoes for foot fetishists. I just hope they had party feet and rollasoles on hand as dancing in heels can be painful. A more interesting and novel video would have been if Jaz Dhami had worn the stilettos himself.