Rough Guide To Bhangra Dance

[coll]: Rough Guide to Bhangra Dance (World Music Network)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 2/7/06
Drum-based dance music from the Punjab updated for the English/South Asian club scene, great beat and energy. Highly infectious music. I just learned from the liner notes that “bhangra” means hemp! Whoo whoo!
South Asians don’t do FCCs. I like 8, 10, 13 best and hated 4 and 6, all others worth a listen.
1. *starts with street sounds, rave-y music starts almost 20 seconds. Proper bhangra starts around 50 seconds, very uptempo but with plenty of traditional bhangra touches and strong beat.
2. *About two-thirds bhangra, a quarter hip hop and a pinch of reggae (I think that adds up). Midtempo, somewhat banal English lyrics but an interesting mashup.
3. **Somewhat downtempo, close to traditional bhangra with bits of electronica, prominent dholak (bigass drum) and fun boops.
4. Cheesy intro, vocal duet with a bit of Spanish guitar, not much in the way of bhangra beat – forgettable.
5. **Uptempo and energetic duet with lots of drum and bhangra elements.
6. Downbeat; although it has a strong beat it also borrows heavily from the lamest female R&B – avoid.
7. **Downtempo but enthusiastic, classic bhangra by long-term top star.
8. ***downtempo bhangra/reggae dancehall a la Apache Indian. Fun!
9. *Downbeat combo bhangra and ghazal (Indian blues w/ harmonium) – for a laid-back mellow mood. Quite lovely, but not “dance”!
10. ***DEFINITELY “dance”. Electric guitars & flutes, aggressive beat (but very downtempo), this is very different stuff…
11. *Dholak, clapping and female call and response – VERY trad, roots of bhangra. From a scene in Monsoon Wedding.
12. **Midtempo with very trad instrumentation, great beat, strong vocals.
13. ***midtempo, great beat, classic vocals – the sort of track that made me love bhangra!
14. **urban dance bhangra, midtempo, lots of “club” elements along with bhangra.
15. *quite traditional sound from a major current hitmaker.