MyBindi Radio Session 2.0   with Mohamad Click Here to listen to myBindi Radio

Playlist

01. Bheer - Panjabi MC
Whether or not you like the opening sample, and even if you think those garage breaks are over-used, Ranjit Mani's proud Punjabi vocals are too catchy to dismiss. With this simple but effective hit from his new Switchin' EP, PMC shows that he's still the best bhangra producer in the UK.

02. Tantra - OmZone
Mixed by Coco Varma of Earthtribe. OmZone's sweet sitars and tabla machinery meld with DK's ambient mantras, giving way to a monsoon of jungle breaks. This NYC duo is among the many new artists coming out of New York and California, leading a South Asian-American inqilaab just behind the Brits. Available only on vinyl for the time being.

03. Jhinjoti - Jolly Mukherjee/State of Bengal
The Madras Cinematic Orchestra delivers a delicately moving instrumental piece based on raag jhinjoti, with State of Bengal adding a light layer of drum n' bass. From the Fusebox album, out on Palm Pictures which apparently has nothing to do with the film industry.

04. Sweet Pain (Joi Remix) - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan/Michael Brook
A personal favourite, the song that introduced me to the scene, and one that continues to speak to the spirit. Joi's powerful interpretation of "Sweet Pain" seems too perfect to be a remix. When the qawwal improvises a melody in the second half of the track, he seems to be jamming with the big electric beats, alive and in person. Qawwali can be thought of as a sort of freestyle prayer, and an expression of longing for truth and oneness, as personified by God. I like to think that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan just took the shortcut. Fi amaan Allah.

05. Mahiwal - Junoon
"Doob chali, main doob chali / Is jeene se maut bhali." The reigning shahzaadey of Pakistani rock blur the distinction between life, death, and dreams. In English, the word "mahiwal" literally means "fisherman", but is also used to denote the ferryman, as one person would often make a living doing both things. The ferryman is a well-known psychological archetype, appearing frequently in dreams, as well as in myths concerning the underworld. In the latter, he often ferries souls across a river dividing the world of the living and the world of the dead. Thus, the woman in this song commits suicide by jumping out of a ferryboat in midstream, and continues her river journey, perhaps, in the afterlife. Like a classical ghazal, the lyrics are intended to represent the woman's point of view, though penned and performed by a man. From Junoon's spectacular album, Azaadi. Everyone who thought that Paki FOBs have bad taste, think again.

06. Dhun in Raag Kirwani
A short classical instrumental piece recorded in Multan by two white guys who wanted to expose some great music. While kirwani is originally a Karnatic (South Indian) raag, it has recently been adopted into the Hindustani (North Indian) school, where it is gaining popularity. Though some new Desi artists complain that the rigidity of the Hindustani and Karnatic disciplines cramps their style, it's undoubtedly the ones who embrace and learn the tradition who come out with the wickedest tunes (see Jolly Mukherjee and State of Bengal's take on raag jhinjhoti above). This particular dhun can be found on the Sanachie compilation, Land of the Sufis, which also contains some nice Siraikhi qawwaliyaan.

07. In My Prime (Gekko from Ekovaland) - Ekova
Just another song about betrayal? Judge for yourself. This is a reworked and remixed Irish ballad with an electronic twist, the only English track on a debut album chockful of incomprehensible and incredible freestyle linguistics. The French-based group consists of American-born singer Dierdre Dubois, Iranian percussionist Arach Khalatbari and Algerian Mehdi Habbab on the lute, guitar and oudh. The group draws upon influences from all over the world, but to narrow it down for you, this one sounds specifically...um...Arabic Afro Celtic electric? The Gekko remix is available on the album Soft Breeze and Tsunami Breaks, while the original is a piece from their maiden venture, Heaven's Dust. Both CDs are on Six Degrees Records.

08. River Pulse (Rain Mix) - Nitin Sawhney
The man behind Beyond Skin shows off his piano-playing skills on Outcaste Records' first album, Migration. Samples of running and flowing water provide a soundscape over which Nitin lays a persistent tabla taal, and performs a quick and simple melody incorporating both jazz and Indian classical concepts. A brilliant track, but then, it's hard to go wrong with Nitin Sawhney.

09. Teri Akhiyan Da - Bally Sagoo
Punjabi female vocals and pounding beats fill this track from the album Rising From the East. The track, like the entire album, has a dark feel to it, as does most of Bally's work since Bollywood Flashback. Nowadays, he's busy with his new record label, Ishq, and his line-up of new artists, including The Dub Factory and Kenz Desai.

10. Sas Kutni - Heera
Now, from the golden era of bhangra, a song about beating up your mother-in-law. Any questions?

11. Gabbar Singh - Juttla
Yes, MyBindi Radio Session 2 khatam ho raha hai, and no, you haven't found Uncle Gabbar. This track from Nation Records' Qilaash compilation cuts up voc samples of Bollywood's most famous villain, from the Eastern Western flick Sholay. Juttla's dirty drum loops are guaranteed to frighten small children. Tera kya hoga, Kaalia?