Bhangra Beatz
Various Artists
Guide Price: £4.99
Audio CD (7 October, 2002)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Naxos World
ASIN: B00004WHRA
Redhotcurry Rating: (5 flames!)
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Redhotcurry Review

Bhangra Beatz is excellent value for money at only £4.99 and includes some great Bhangra tracks - a must buy album for any collection. We particularly liked the brief explanations for each track, something that most albums don't bother to do.

Introduction

Bhangra began as traditional music accompanying dance at harvest celebrations in the Punjab part of India. Later it became the most popular dance of Punjab. "Bhang" means hemp, which refers to the agricultural nature of the dance. The style features the dhol, a wooden barrel-drum. Its sound was developed in the UK in the 1970s when western instruments were added. Now bhangra is club music, combining synth beats and electronic instrumentation with the traditional Punjabi sound.

What is Bhangra? (Reprinted from the CD sleeve)

Bhangra is the traditional folk music and dance of the South Asian region called Punjab, a state in the north of India that crosses into Pakistan. The music originated as a celebratory part of the harvest season each year, and it is widely regarded to be one of the oldest folk dances in the world - believed to have originated around the 15th century.

During the harvest, farmers would bring home the grain and celebrate the months of hard work by dancing the bhangra beat - the constant percussive rhythm of the dhol. An instrument with a heavy bass and high treble double-headed drum, the dhol is worn around the neck and played with two curved sticks or hands. The lilting and fast-tempo beats of the dhol, entwined with the singing of traditional folksongs, have allowed bhangra to travel through the centuries and transcend both the musical and language barriers.

Now, bhangra aims to take centre stage and introduce itself to a wider and fusion-friendly audience. The sound of the dhol beat, like Indian curry, started arriving in other parts of the world with the 20th century emigration. The spread of bhangra is particularly due to the large number of émigrés from the remnants of colonial India who travelled to Britain in the 1950's bringing with them their distinctive cultural heritage. For the most part, bhangra was the festive music played at parties and weddings while the esteemed music of ragas was played in concert halls as the classical music of India.

But something else happened in the 1908's. Just as rap music was rallying black youth towards self-empowerment and cultural identity, bhangra music - remixed by young South Asian basement DJs using the turntable techniques of hip hop record spinner - was becoming the soundtrack of Indian youth in the UK. Usually this consisted of popular sings from hit Indian movies mixed with club flavour. A revolution was underway.

From the legendary bhangra artists of the past to the pop-culture influences of today, bhangra has been reborn on foreign soil to a new musical congregation. Often mixed with rhythmic vibe of reggae, rap, R&B and dance music, this fusion of the traditional and the modern started a scene built on after-school dances and basement jams. Conservative Indian parents worried their sons and daughters were being led down the path of juvenile delinquency and bad grades. Needless to say, that kind of concern has now subsided. In fact, bhangra has made Indian youth more aware than ever about their own culture and heritage.

At the same time, bhangra was also fast becoming a major part of the music in Indian commercial cinema. Based in Bombay - also known as Bollywood - the country's film industry was recognised as much for its massive output as the song and dance segments ready to break into any scene without hesitation. Bhangra is now a major part of that scene and the screens in little India across the world reverberate with its music.

As for the music, now influenced more than ever by a range of music styles, bhangra is just starting to develop a more universal appeal. Germinating in the Indian communities in England, Canada and the USA, the music has grown up and is emerging in the 21st century as an essential and integral part of global music culture.

About Kiss Records

Kiss records, from whose library all the tracks on 'Bhangra Beatz' are culled, is a pioneer of the modern bhangra beat. Based in the suburbs of Oldham, they are one of the leading South Asian Music labels in the UK and have released a wealth of musical and vocal talent since their debut into the music world in 1991. From the traditional, to the modernised styles of Hindi, Qawaali, Pop and Bhangra, Kiss Records has seen its music featured across the globe, through world music avenues. Managing Director, DJ Sheikh, has built up a private empire from the heart of the UK to raise their music and artists to a world level.

A recording artist himself, DJ Sheikh has released hit bhangra recordings and the compilation album Hoye Hoye. His bhangra hit release, Dholaholics, was the biggest selling compilation album of 1996, while his solo artists like Kebi, Bhinda Jatt and Canadian star Jazzy B, have all established themselves as premier bhangra personalities.

Kiss Records has been prominent in promoting its artists whilst also having a prestigious number of groups and singers on their roster. As DJ Sheikh explains, Kiss Records' prerogative is , "we have always done our business based on trust and commitment. People know the Kiss Records name stands for good music and that's what we always aim to deliver".

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