Take Five: Ideas For The Music Industry in 2014

The Desi music industry is often accused of being unoriginal and copying other music styles. Here are five things that I would like to see in 2014.

Acoustic Music

There are many good vocalists working in the industry at the moment. But all too often their vocals are drowned out by samples and producers overusing their special effects. I'd like to see more artists singing a Capella or accompanied by just a few instruments. Two artists who could pull this off are Bikram Singh and Parichay. Both have gorgeous, powerful voices that suit a lack of accompaniment.

Harmony

Vocal harmony is not part of the Indian musical tradition. It's something that Desi music has yet to borrow and I think it could be done well. I would love singers such as Gunjan, Guru, and Mehi to collaborate and produce complex vocal harmonies, preferably unaccompanied. It is hard to do and requires real musical talent

Interesting Videos

Bhangra is notorious for the lack of creativity in videos and from 2013 there are only a few that stick in my mind. A lack of budget is often blamed for the lack of quality, but good videos do not have to be expensive. I'd like to see captivating story lines, surprises and dance moves that rival Strictly Come Dancing. No flashy cars, clubs, alcohol and bored models please! 

Rooh Covers Sheila Ki Jawani

Rooh, a band based in Dubai, have made a cover version of Sheila Ki Jawani. It is a rock version and has a video to go with it.

The track incorporates original English vocals as well as the original Hindi ones. It starts with a melancholy feel and the way the song is turned around to show the male perspective is clever. The concept works and it one of the best cover tracks I have heard this year.

Shot in front of a crumbling building with flash backs from the night before, the video is simple but effective.  I like this more than Katrina's Kaif's attempt at raunchy dance moves.

Bikram Singh - Billo Rani

Bikram Singh is getting ready to release his next single. Billo Rani releases this Thursday and is produced by Sunil Sehgal.

It's instantly recognisable as a Bikram Singh track. Billo Rani is traditional Punjabi song with an electronic edge. The lyrics are catchy with some great vocals from Bikram. Billo Rani should work well on the dancefloor and I can't wait until party season begins to try it out.

There is a video for Billo Rani. It's produced by Paranormal Media and features model-actress Asal Kara. It is shot in New York City and London, which are two of  Bikram's favourite cities.

Last Played: October

A quick look at some of the tracks that have been playing at Sari-Clad Speakers HQ this month.

Annie Khalid feat. Rishi Rich - Tujhe Yaad Kiya



A great tune from Annie Khalid and Rishi Rich with a nice video to match. Not sure about the switch halfway through where the tempo is increased, it's as if they couldn't decide whether to make it a ballad or a dance track, but this is a song I've played quite a few times.





Zeb & Haniya - Aitebar




From the album Chup, Aitebar is cool and understated with a laid back late night jazz feel. The video is brilliant - I like how Zeb & Haniya are in the video but apart from the action. It's great to see some interesting contemporary dance that adds to the storyline.

PropheC - Oh Baby

PropheC has released a new single. Oh Baby is taken from his upcoming album Futureproof and features Sodhivine.

It's different to PropheC's usual slow ballads. Oh Baby is dance orientated but still has some soulful lyrics. There is a substantial bass section which contrasts nicely with PropheC's soft vocals.

The video depicts a high speed chase between two people who have just committed a crime. It would have been nice to see the crime and what was in the bag, but it makes a change from the usual videos. It reminded me of the video for Nindy Kaur's Akhian and I guessed the ending. I liked the shots of PropheC