Tigerstyle return with their second mixtape as they flaunt their talents whilst on the look out for a new record deal after the legal ramblings with Moviebox. Indeed, the title of the CD ('Bootlegz Tha Streetz Jus Can't Ignore' ) sums up the album's intentions of Popsy and Raj. The duo came close to the mainstream this time last year, but despite things not quite happening, the Glaswegian duo have never left the scene and their underground mixes and bootlegs have ensured they keep their place in UK bhangra's elite.
Before I saw these guys live, I never had them down as club rockers. They take their music very seriously and although their tracks get great reception in the clubs I wasn't convinced they'd be great live DJs. How wrong was I?? At what was a very big Shaanti event in Birmingham (Talvin Singh and Stereo Nation also on the card), Tigerstyle's mere presence on the stage saw people flooding into the room. Tracks from this mixtape featured heavily in the set and the club appeal of so many hits holds this CD in good stead to last with the club classics.
We kick off with 'Ishq Nagni', a brand new dancehall splurt featuring Labh Janjua and Mr Vegas. The tribal beat keeps your head moving, and Janjua's vocals are, as you'd expect, top notch. I know Tigerstyle are very happy with this track and they've got reason to. It's a good start to the CD.
The official remix of Jody Lei's 'Just The Music' comes next and maintains the same high standards. Sing-along choruses, groovy club beats and methodical verses are the essence of this mix, which maintains the original's direction, but with a desi attack. It's more great stuff.
The first of several 'cheeky' bootlegs is track three, with Busta Rhymes and Pharrell Williams' Neptunes being reworked with the eastern edge. 'Light Yr Ass On Fire' is another good track, not as powerful as the opening two songs but is a better example of their intelligent production skills.
Obie Trice's 'Got Some Teeth' is the next track. Another bootleg, the Indian melodies follow Obie's comical lyrics and Tigerstyle continue with the good production which time has a scent of some dancehall, but the line between reggae and hip-hop is drawn in exactly the right place
The fifth track is 'Jhumka' by Shazia Mansoor. Her voice is so sweet over the track that this has universal appeal. The song moves like it could be on a film soundtrack, and the light edges really bring out the quality in Shazia's voice. This track is the start of a scintillating four-track period.
Street Symphony employed Raj and Pops for a remix of there tune 'Something Tells Me' and the duo absolutely smashed it. When I saw Tigerstyle deliver this at a club the floor (including me!) went insane, with guys dancing on each other's shoulders and the kuriyan singing along at the top of their voices. Turn this up loud: instant and harmonious fusion between bhangra and R&B signalled by an up tempo intro and developed into one of the best tunes on the album. "Something tells me you're fit for something
.". Classic.
"It's one of those Tigerstyle productions" heralds Azian Empire's Blitzkrieg at the start of 'Do The Thaang Thaang', and you can tell from before he's even said it. Typical Tigerstyle tabla flows provide a carpet for the luscious and careful vocals of Shakti, who sings an incredibly infectious chorus. New York's Bikram Singh provides perfect Panjabi support and things look good for the talented stateside singer as he looks to release an album soon (which has four Tigerstyle productions on there). This tune has got amazing reactions in clubs here and in the US and is a big, big tune.
A remix of Jay Sean's political 'You Don't Know Me' follows as track eight, the tune he sung at the AMAs. That version had a strong R&B feel but you know Tigerstyle can make it desi!! Stop start beats and well-placed tumbi sounds compliment Jay's gifted voice, and this is a great remix for an artist who has been criticised for not being brown enough.
'Dhol Vajda' was a big Tigerstyle track from a few years ago and the modern refix is track nine. Incredibly desi, Romi Gill's vocals are still fresh and the strict dhol beat fits the song perfectly. It's got a different edge to the previous few tracks, but quality all the same.
Ragga vocalist Mr Vegas returns for 'Pull Up' after his stint on the opening track. I'll tell you straight that I can't understand this guy and I'm not a big dancehall fan so this, for me, was a low point on the album.
The desi hip-hop vibe returns for Manjit's 'Desire'. Sung almost totally in English with more sweet sounding female vocals, the tune has the lightness of a pop song yet the intentions and deep beats of a thoughtful track demonstrating how the production duo can make different types of music with the same vibe.
'Babyboo' follows next, and is the second reworking of a Street Symphony tune. It's not as good as 'Something Tells Me', but is decent all the same. If you like Jagged Edge or Boyz II Men then you'll love these guys' voices and the T/Style influence is as obvious as it is suiting.
Old Skool hip-hop is brought back with 'Kala Sah Kala', sung by Hema Sharma. This is a bit too simple for me: nice vocals and nice scratches, yet its old skool theme means it lacks the spark of some earlier tracks. I guess its pleasant, but not an eye-opener.
Blitzkrieg comes back for track fourteen, his ode to the 'Kamasutra'. This tune has got a sample from a bhangra track but I can't pinpoint it
but it's used well without being the basis of the Asian hip-hop. The beat almost says 'Do The Thang Thang', but Blitzkrieg's Ludacris-esque raps are ok on this short track.
There's then another bootleg as the penultimate track. The reworking of Kelis's 'Milkshake' got a big reaction when it dropped and is a prime example of a remix as Tigerstyle keep the big parts of the original track but subtly add the Asian elements.
Eminem is one hip-hop artist who seems to have evaded the bhangra remix craze of a few years ago, but when Tigerstyle grabbed the vocal of 'S*** Hits The Fan' they make it into a serious hip-hop track. There's a further intense vocal from hip-hop godfather Dr Dre and newcomer Obie Trice and an awful lot of swearing but its good to listen to if you're in a bad mood.
Considering that Tigerstyle are effectively on the dole as they search for a deal, this album is astounding. Over an hour of music and eleven quality tracks, out of a total sixteen, makes you wonder why the big budget releases are rarely more than ten tracks. Despite having a structure of remixes and bootlegs, this mixtape is huge and I certainly hope these talented producers get a deal soon.
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