Game, Set and Nach

Achanak are legendary on the UK bhangra scene, and while their ventures into the world music festival circuit have made them less of a familiar sight to the crowds that know them from weddings and Punjabi radio stations in the 90s, they've certainly lost none of their flair. There is something very 00s about this bhangra album's flirtation with dubstep and drum'n'bass, and the brass interjections recall the cult bands Apna Sangeet and Alaap who were all the rage when Achanak first hit the scene almost three decades ago. Perhaps because of this, there's nothing quite like this album out there in 2017.

Each track taps into a different facet of modern bhangra music: the dub opener ‘Sonia ne Sonia’ sounds like a less dated Bally Sagoo number, ‘Hai Jugnee’ is a joyful folk piece, and ‘Tera Pyaar’ is reminiscent of the emotional 90s British Asian hits that ended up on YouTube accompanied by slideshows of stock photos of crying women. All this creates a sonic summary of Achanak's career, bringing variations of UK bhangra music up to date in new songs alongside past classics. Dhol-player Amar Johal is behind some of the album's best tracks, but Scottish duo Tigerstyle have made an instant hit with a drum'n'bass revamp of ‘Nach Tu’. Hitting the sweet spot between progressive and nostalgic, Game, Set and Nach is certain to make its mark.