Customer Reviews

Rough Guide to Bhangra

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bhangra is exotic and new to some, but to those of us who grew up listening to the real thing, this album is still a must have.

I have owned this album for over 6 months now and it continues to delight. There is a wide variety of bhangra here and the remixing respects the original spirit of the music. From Satwinder Bitti's soulful voice and Sagoo's genius in 'Pendha Gidda' to Safri Boys' light hearted 'Par Linghade', the album presents a wonderful range. Overall DJ Ritu has compiled an excellent selection here.

I was surprised to find a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan number on the album. Strictly speaking, he doesn't do Bhangra but I don't mind getting a Nusrat song as a bonus.

This was an impulse buy that turned out to be one of the greatest CDs I've ever owned, and a wonderful introduction to bhangra. There's not a bad track on it. I'm now buying it for friends and family. Exotic, catchy, uplifiting and fun!

The music of the Indian subcontinent is not everyone's cup of tea (it is mine), and dance music isn't everyone's favorite either (it is not mine). This disc combines the two in a fun and fascinating disc, upbeat with a mystic quality. Some friends that are not fans of the traditional Indian music find this a great disc to listen to. I bought it on a flier, and just love it!

This is such a wonderful collection!! Truly the best possible samples from this wildly energetic and creative musical genre. A true "Guide" to the best this music has to offer. Highly Recommended.

There's some really good stuff here, including Saldip Jabble's gorgeous "Janj Mahi Ley Aya." I could have done without some of the more western influenced, more baltently disco tunes, particlularly Bombay Talkie's "Chargiye," but this is still a fine overview of Bhangra.

The dohl and other percussive instruments, along with unique vocals and catchy rhythms can push this Punjab-based music onto any dance floor and blow listeners minds and get their feet moving, their arms waving. Although I have my favorites, including Sangeeta's Hindi performance on Track 4, I love to leave the entire album going non-stop. Though its power can move your body, its musicality is soothing. After a busy workday, I love to pop it in the player on the way home to unwind. It can definitely take you out of the traffic and into another world.

There's not much bhangra available in the US, which is a shame, because it's such a great style, but the Rough Guide label is based in Britain, where most bhangra is produced. The Rough Guide people have released two bhangra compilations so far, Bhangra and Bhangra Dance, and this is the earlier of the two. In some ways it's the better album.

It ranges from the traditional sounding Bhabiye Ni Bhabiye to the reggae inflected Mera Laung Gawacha, the only track with some lyrics in English, to the rap influenced Mundian to Bach Ke, to the beautiful Pyar Ka Hai Bairi. One of the most moving artists though is Malkit Singh, who is also the most popular of all. The Safri Brothers, also a big name, contribute a great track with powerful traditional vocals. That track and several others are based on traditional tunes. Others are more electronic, like the very catchy Chargiye, and even Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is on here, his unique vocals remixed with a bhangra rhythm.

As the excellent liner notes tell us, almost all these artists and songs are classics in the genre. The album shows that even though most of these artists reside in Britain (bhangra originated in India but really took off with Indian immigrants in Britain), they've really held onto their culture and music. If a lot of the songs sound similar it's probably because they all come from the Punjabi tradition. And though the music has become modernized, it's still just as much made for dancing as it ever was (and great to just listen to as well.) A must-have album.

I've owned the Rough Guide to Bhangra for over four years, and this is one CD that just doesn't get old. Some songs are pretty heavily Western-influenced, like "Chargiye," "Boliyan," and "Mundian To Bach Ke," while others like "Bhabiye Ni Bhabiye" and "Pyar Ka Hai Bairi" have a more traditional sound. Both types are equally enjoyable and infest you with the urge to move about and dance (even if, like me, you don't understand a word of Punjabi).

Though I really don't like "Par Linghade," and a couple other songs don't grab my interest, this CD always puts me in a good mood whenever I listen to it. Maybe it's the dhol and tabla. Definitely one of my best CD purchases ever.