Gubi Sandhu…. Remember him?? Hang on let me jog your memory, Dil Karda, Sah Rukh Dha, Aja Soneeya??? Yeah now you remember! After almost 2 years Mr Gubi Sandhu is back with his brand new album Sold My Soul! I recently hit Gubi's guestbook on his website and it's full of messages from girls who fancy him or mans who hate him….hmmmmm! Well love him or hate him, his new album is a follow up to his debut album Dil Karda, which although won the best album award at the UK Asian Music Awards 2003, wasn't all that in my view! Don't get me wrong he has been on some sick tracks but his debut offering did not do him justice! Let's see if this one matches the hype around this talented artist!

The typical Untouchable's intro! Where would be without it! Very standard… that's it! I really don't understand why they bother with them if they don't even mean anything! Far enough if you have got a skit or something along those lines, but just a beat with some next man saying "Gubi Sandhu…Sold My Soul!" ummmm yeah we know that matey!

First Track! Mahi! Woah hold up, am I listening to a Hindi album??? I hear Kajol and a dialogue from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge! A strange intro but if you read the inlay it says that this song is dedicated in the loving memory of Sarah Ahmed, Gubi Sandhu's friend so that might explain it. The song itself is boom! It sounds different from a typical untouchable opening track, no dirty b-line, no sample, no 2-step garage beat…hmmmmm have they actually being taking my advice! The actual beat/melody is fairly decent, like I said it's different and refreshing but the real star is Gubi himself, lyrics are tight (written by himself) and his voice sounds excellent against the beat. Top track which is not exactly a club banger but has enough "umfff" in it to get you dancing!

Aaja Ni Aaja is the next track…. listening to the first 15-20 seconds you will think what the f***??!?! This can't be a Gubi Sandhu! My man sounds like he suffering from depression or something but once that's over the song kicks, and boy does it kick! In comes a heavy dhol beat and a desi melody, but the song really drops about a minute into it where it goes desi like my boys once they done a bottle! This is a good solid song, quite old school but still phat! This answers the critics who say Gubi Sandhu only sounds good on garage style tracks…up yours!

The intro on this next track, Kinni Sohni is like the heaviest thing! Check it, a girl goes "Some people say I'm good looking, and some people say that I'm drop dead gorgeous. If being beautiful was a crime I would be guilty, so this track has been created for all the women like me!" Sorry but she smashed it! Ill leave you lot to make your own opinions about it! The actual song again is very desi and old school, not typical of Gubi Sandhu at all. The lyrics are good but the beat seems a bit…I dunno…. fresh???! Overall it's a good tune, which was produced by Bally Jagpal of B21, which explains the exaggerated intro, as it's something we have come accustomed to from him.

A slow bhangra track……….well that's what is next, a track entitled Yaad. It features Dilpreet Virdee, who sang with Gubi on Ranjha. Even though this is a slow track, I hate to say it but it actually sounds quite good! Gubi is fairly average on it; all he does is the hook but Dilpreet…girl you can sing! She smashes it! I guess since the beat is kinda mellow and soft her voice complements the track better than the harsh tone of Gubi's. Good track if you kotching with your girl or just kicking it back. The beat is sick but again it don't sound like its been made by the RDB boys!

People are gonna call me a sell out for my comments on this next track, Sajana, as I think it's probably the best on the album even though it has a complete dancehall beat, contains an MC and wait for it…has sampled Kevin's Little Turn Me On! But chill out let me defend my comments! Firstly the sample, it aint a complete rip off sample, this sample is used very well and you only really notice it is a sample towards the end of the track. Secondly, the MC, Singh MC can't really call himself an MC cos he is that bad, but he has a minor part in this song! And the beat is grimey even if it doesn't have a dhol or tumbi in it! Gubi excels on these kinda tracks no doubt, his voice sounds immense on this track. There! This is a club smasher and I know everyone will be dancing to this! First-rate track.

Akhan Billian…(yeah I heard that title bares as well) is the 7th track on the album and features Cheshire Cat. This is a fairly desi track, but it obviously has some reggae influences from Cheshire Cat. Quite a good track, but after hearing Sajana it sounds a bit poor. Judging it on it's own merit, I can say that the beat it fairly standard, nothing that is going to blow you away, but Gubi does well on this track. I think untouchables have found desi beats that actually complement Gubi voice rather than sound harsh against it. It's a fairly decent track.

GI Jatt! Gubi's bosom buddy is back on this tune, Chori Chori! But oh no what do I hear…2-step garage??? Kully, Manj, Surj…boys I thought we had learnt our lesson, it aint 2000 anymore! But I suppose it wouldn't be an untouchables album without one of these tracks innit. Gubi only does the hook, and GI Jatt provides the Mc'ing. He is a good MC, no doubt about that, but doesn't spit well at all on this track. This song just sounds old and tired, been there, done that, got the t-shirt, in a bit!

The last track is called Viah and it is a proper desi number! So desi heads hold tight! It's more of a wedding song to be honest, but a good one at that! Gubi and desi tunes…. people say they don't really mix…. hmmmm, to be honest he don't sound that out of place on this track. Like I said this track is very old school, and perhaps Gubi's voice can't handle this kinda of track as well as a Manak E, or Lembhar Hussainpuri but it's a vast improvement from Hat Ke! Rated bruv!

When was the last time you heard a good Untouchables album…I would say Unstoppable released about a year ago, since then it has been disappointment after disappointment until now. This album is innovative and refreshing and should be lesson to the bhangra industry in general. Bhangra needs to evolve and needs ideas to take it forward. Most of the tracks were either good or have a reasonable standard. Yeah there was a sample, but when you hear some of the blatant sampling going on these days, this doesn't sound too bad. Less MC's and more Gubi Sandhu is what made this album reach a high standard. So I give Sold My Soul…. wait for it…. 7.2 outta 10!