RFI: Modern Indian Pop

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I'm in a real bind here and I'm hoping some people here can help me out a little. I agreed to DJ a friend's wedding in a couple weeks. It's a mixed affair: East Indian and Canadian (or "other"). I'm usually okay playing to mixed crowds, but this one's a little different: there's going to be over 250 people, 60-70% of which is from the Indian side (who my friend assured me will be the true party crowd). I'm in desperate need of tune suggestions. Bhangra, punjabi, yes--plus crossover hip-hop, dancehall? Or, if you know any links to good sites that'll help also (I'm not finding the web incredibly useful thus far). Preferably think "modern," but anything will be appreciated. I also figure this could possibly just end up being an informative or useful list-type thread anyway.

― scott wods, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Prem Chamkila and Sangeeta - Billa Aka
Dr Zeus - Ah Ne Kuriya Ja Ne Kuriya
More Fire Crew feat Sona Family - Oi!

― gaz (gaz), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)

a co-worker told me about these recently, they are free streaming stations, they have various channels of different indian styles. might be a good place to find out what's hip/new/something.

http://www.raaga.com
indian music

http://www.arnonline.com
radio station from United Arab Emerites

― PeterALopez, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

here's some things to check out:

panjabi MC
bally sagoo (check out the track Aaja Nachle)

also, check out some DJ APS tracks if you can find them, he mixes bhangra with gangsta rap. and he's canadian.

― astroblaster (astroblaster), Thursday, 28 August 2003 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

rajae and tim - indian thing!

― gaz (gaz), Thursday, 28 August 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I've checked a couple of these out so far, and they're perfect. Please don't let this thing die.

― s woods, Thursday, 28 August 2003 10:21 (twenty-two years ago)

be sure to play panjabi mc's mundian to bach ke (beware of the boys) either the original or the jay z version. panjabi mc's beware is the only cd ive bought in 2003. the best thing about this the cd is the song that arent Beware are still suprisingly good.

also, have you asked your friend if he has any suggestions?
if so, could you post them here?

― astroblaster (astroblaster), Thursday, 28 August 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Susheela Raman
(they might not know her, but should)
or new Karsh Kale

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 28 August 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

also, have you asked your friend if he has any suggestions?
if so, could you post them here?

Yes, his friends or cousins are putting together a couple discs for me(or maybe it's merely a list of suggestions, I don't know). This thread was started out of panic and will hopefully help me find some other stuff they may not have thought of--or anyway, to give me a head start. And sure, I'll be happy to list stuff here when I get their input--probably next wk sometime.

― s woods, Thursday, 28 August 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

just a q: east indian. what do they speak? it seems unlikely they're punjabi speakers. could be hindi, bengali, tamil? just that playing bangra at them all night might be like playing french songs at a german wedding...

― gaz (gaz), Thursday, 28 August 2003 21:44 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a good point, obviously. I'm pretty sure it's Hindi. I'll find this out and take it into consideration, but my friend (who, granted, I don't think listens to any of this stuff) really just emphasized modern and good beats, so I don't know how attentive I have to be to specific languages or dialects. (God, if I do, I'm *really* fucked.) It's about the dancefloor, basically.

― s woods, Thursday, 28 August 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

an obvious suggestion i know, but: diwali riddim? wayne wonder's no letting go.

― gaz (gaz), Thursday, 28 August 2003 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)

v/a - bhangra beatz

find that, somehow. it's fantastic.

― adam west (adamwest), Friday, 29 August 2003 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

At astroblaster's request, here's a pretty good entry (as far as my ears are concerned anyway) into mostly-bhangra, a combination of tracks burned for me by someone who knows what they're doing, and me just discovering some stuff randomly through downloads. I can't vouch for 100% accuracy of titles/artists.

* (artist?) / "Tera Hoye Savere Darshane"
* AS Kang / "Desi Boliyaan (Dhol remix)"
* (artist?) / "Lut Layee Toon Jindri"
* Kucha / "Munda Bhangra Paunde"
* (artist?) / "Apna Sangeet" (with guitars like Yes!)
* B21 / "Chandigarh" (1000 drummers playing the same beat)
* Sarabjit Cheema / "Dhol Wajda" (very hard beat, with a strong Caribbean sort of feel; one of my faves of the batch, though not as sweetly melodic as the others)
* Balwinder Safri (?) / "Sarian Noon Saran Deo"
* Surjit Bindrakhiya / "Tera Yaar Bolda" (suggested as a first dance, which makes sense--not too overwhelming, still inviting, time-to-loosen-up-folks sort of mood)
* (artist?) / "Makna" (with sounds I'd describe as "drones," except they perhaps waver too much to really be drones; fucked-up swirlies?)
* Kuldip Manak and Panjabi MC (according to Kazaa?) / "Tera Nahin Jag Te Jawaab" (one of the prettiest songs I've heard all year, though it sounds older or "traditional"--not that I would know; great shuffling beat, a hilarious barroom piano break, call-and-response vocals--a perfect song)

There's a pile of newer stuff, too, but I don't have copies and can't recall too many of the titles. I seem to recall a good one called "Dill" (?) and an incredible one called "Choko" or something. And I definitely want to hear more Dr. Zeus--his stuff sounds on par with Panjabi MC, maybe even a little further out there. There's a good reference site for stuff here:

http://www.punjabonline.com/servlet/entertain.entertain?Action=Bhangra&Param=Date&Tier=0

― s woods, Tuesday, 9 September 2003 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

I found an Indian music store a block or two from my house, but I'm totally bewildered when trying to move past Ashe Bhosle, and the guy who's manning the counter is totally ancient and unable to answer any questions about Indian pop music of the last 30 years.

So... any ideas?

― I eat cannibals, Thursday, 9 August 2007 22:23 (eighteen years ago)

A.R. Rahman

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 9 August 2007 22:35 (eighteen years ago)

shit, just watch Namaste America

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 9 August 2007 22:36 (eighteen years ago)

xpost who did "CHAIYYA CHAIYYA"!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_2gW3zwMMQ)
or, for that matter, the whole "Dil Se" soundtrack.

also http://www.davidboyk.com/bollywood/

― Stevie D, Thursday, 9 August 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

fourteen years pass...

Is this the right thread for this? Anyway, this rules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwdQx2P_ytk

― Chuck_Tatum, Saturday, 27 November 2021 13:24 (four years ago)

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