Chardi Kala

This is a great life-affirming disc from Sonny Singh, also known for his vocals and amazing trumpet playing in the bhangra band Red Baraat. On this album he pulls together elements from traditional Sikh kirtan, Sufi qawwali and more global sounds, backed up by a long list of talented supporting musicians.

The opening track and single release, ‘Aisee Preet’, encapsulates all these influences, with some ear-grabbing dhol in places. I particularly liked the trumpet and guitar on ‘Ghadar Machao’, as well as the catchy vocal line harking back to the filmi feel of South Asian brass bands. Some of the other tracks, such as ‘Duniya’, ‘Koi Bol Ram’ and ‘Rebel’, musically venture a little further afield with hints of Latin American, rock and Balkan lines and rhythms. Although this is great fun with a huge amount of musical vitality, there is also a serious side to the album. It was partly written in response to attacks on the Sikh community in the US and Sonny Singh explicitly places it in the context of the fight for ‘dignity and justice.’ There is really nothing more to add than, on both a musical and political front, this is a brilliant release.