Unique Week For British Asian Music
What a week eh?Ìý On Monday Tigerstyle launched the long awaited album 'Mystics, Martyrs and Maharaja's' on the Friction show, then on Tuesday Asian Dub Foundation popped in to talk about the impending release of 'Punkara' which was then followed by Nitin Sawheny on the Bobby Friction and Nihal show - and then tonight a rare species called Panjabi MC will co-host Friction with me, and give an exclusive airing of 'Indian Timing', his first original album since the success of 'Mundian To Bach Ke/Beware Of The Boys'.
Damn!Ìý What an embarrassment of riches.Ìý You wait ages and nothing happens, then four come along at once...
Tigerstyle have been a powerhouse of remixes, one-off tracks, and other people's albums since they released 'Virsa' six (yes six!) years ago - but it's only by releasing an original album will they have a shot at cementing their place in UK Bhangra history.Ìý On the show they played three tracks including 'Asian Woman' (a frenzied slice of Punjabi drum and bass with UK Apache bringing the darkness), and theÌýLembherÌýtrack 'Jatt Mele Chaliya'Ìý (keeping all hardcore Bhangra fans happy) - But it's the rest of the album that's got me excited.Ìý Its as desi as desi can get whilst still keeping the leftfield and underground fans happy.Ìý They've managed to do somethingÌýI thought wasn't possible - make a Bhangra-Asian-Underground-Leftfield-Asian-Electronic album that'll keep everyone nodding their heads.
Tuesday came and so did Asian Dub Foundation.Ìý They nearly didn't in fact.Ìý We spent weeks trying to get them into the studio as they embarked on one of their biggest tours ever for their new album 'Punkara'.Ìý With constant gigs every week between now and February, Steve Chandrasonic explained how he felt that this album was their strongest since Community Music (agreed!), and how they had changed the way they recorded it.Ìý The past was about sitting in the studio piecing their ideas together, whereas Punkara came about through extended jam sessions.Ìý A listen to the album shows that however they did it - they have managed to move their sound in a different direction.Ìý And that's a good thing is it not?
Nitin came into Radio 1 later that night for my show with Nihal, to talk about '
Which brings us to the wildcard.Ìý Mr Panjabi MC.Ìý He has a lot invested physically and emotionally in his new album 'Indian Timing' - he owns the label it's getting released on, and it's advertised as his first 'proper' album since the heady days of 2003 and 'that' tune.Ìý Will he keep the hardcore Desi fans happy?Ìý Will the album be a paradigm shift like 'Grassroots' was?Ìý And does he still matter?
Tune in to the Friction Show tonight to find out - or listen again via ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ iPlayer x
Ìý
Comment number 1.
At 17th Feb 2009, yourcountry wrote:Event: O2: Your Country Live: Malkit Singh with support from The Dohl Foundation
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Time: 7pm
Tickets: Text SINGH to 67777 for a chance for you and a friend to see Malkit Singh live at the IndigO2 on March 27h
Website: www.o2.co.uk/yourcountry
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