Bhangraw.com

An Intro to UK Bhangra

It seems like a whole generation in North America has gone without knowing the expanding number of bands, artists, deejays and producers that have contributed to the music we call bhangra.

For the people that do have a rough idea, yes Malkit is still singing, Surinder Shinda still belts out tunes, but do you know who are the up and coming stars of today and tomorrow? Let bhangraw.com be your guide to all things UK bhangra and everything in between.

Ah, the Great 80’s

The eighties were a great decade for UK bhangra worldwide. I bet you could name a handful of groups from back then and their hit songs.

No one group was bigger than Malkit Singh and Golden Star, who took the world by storm with such hits as “Hey Jamalo” and “Gurh Nallon Ishq Mitha”. There was Alaap, DCS, Heera, Premi, and Apna Sangeet – all of which who had many hit songs that we could all groove to on the dance floor – and sing along to.

The New sound of the 90’s

The nineties brought in a fresh new sound, many artists began experimenting with the different sounds in the mainstream and began to remix some classic old songs with the beats the western culture could relate to.

In North America it seemed like only two people existed as far as European Bhangra flavours was concerned. As the great bands of the 80’s started to slowly taper off in popularity, the nineties brought in the great musical minds of Bally Sagoo and Panjabi MC.

Wham Bam, Bally Sagoo’s debut project in the early 90’s, gave new life to some old songs that people had gotten tired of, and songs people never even knew existed.

Panjabi MC’s first project Souled Out – released in 1993 also caused great stir in Europe, but not very much here in North America. PMC’s claim to fame in North America came a few years later with the release of Grass Roots – probably one of the best albums of the decade.

Grass Roots had revived a somewhat stagnant market in North America making a new generation of youth understand the traditional and new age sound of Punjabi music.

As the nineties came to an end, all I ever remember hearing on the dance floors of Canada was either PMC, Surjit Bindhrakia or other traditional singers from India. So, What happened? Where did all the Bands go? Is there any good Punjabi music to listen to in North America?

The answer… YES!

Two – Triple O

The year 2000 brought new promise. I remember when I heard Tappe by Surinder Rattan – which had a traditional song injected with a fast beat – now which is know as “garage” – along with an MC adding his two cents to the song. It was absolutely revolutionary…

BANG!

It had happened, a new genre of music had been created – now referred to as Bhangarage – a new sound for a new generation.

One of the first groups of DJ/Producers to bring this sound to the world stage was RDB (Rhythm Dhol and Bass). Their rendition of Putt Sardaran De (Ranjit Mani featuring MC Trix) was revolutionary.

The Rishi Rich Revolution

2003 saw some even more radical changes. The Rishi Rich Project took over the world. With his new signings, Jay Sean and Juggy D, the release of “Dance With You (Nachna Tere Naal)” saw worldwide fame, and even reached number 12 in the UK charts.

With that success, Rishi catapulted himself into mainstream success, by joining forces with such acts as Craig David, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Mary J Blige, and Britney Spears.

The Vibe Goes Mainstream

With all the popularity The Rishi Rich Project garnered, it was hard for Hip Hop producers to not take notice of a new vibe to exploit.

Dr. Dre was one of the first major producers to look to the East for inspiration with his production of “Addictive.”

Timbaland followed suit, recording tracks with an Indian flavour, and even signing an Indian singer in Raje Shwari.

But the biggest boost UK Bhangra received was when Jay Z put his voice on the track “Mundian to Bach Ke.” Renamed “Beware of the Boys,” the track was an instant classic.

An Industry on it’s Knees?

Since 2003, only a handful of classic albums have been released. As piracy and downloading continues to increase, and no industry watchdog to help combat the problem, artists and producers alike are putting out less albums with less creative vibes.

A New Promise

Today, only a few producers have taken it upon themselves to recreate an industry that seems like its heyday has passed.

Swami, is one group who has created a new sound, with the help of artists and producers coming across from different genres.

Only time will tell if the trend catches on and creates a spark to keep the music and the industry heading into a positive direction.