Tigerstyle's
Virsa
 

As usual in many albums the album shoots off with the Intro, which has a message in it. The Intro declares that we should not forget our VIRSA (Culture), no matter where you are!!! Then with some roars the Intro changes its phase towards live introduction of Tigerstyle right in San Francisco.

Onto numero DOS, DO, TWO or whatever.. you hear sarangi in the beginning which gives a hint of folk-type song. The track is Mele Vich Vajda Dhol, the track is composed by main instruments of punjabi music, i.e. sarangi, dhol, algozeh and all. The track is composed in a very unique way but sounds old-fashioned, no modern influence at all.

As the track two ends up, you listen beats, yes, and a change in style. It's none other than the one and only Romy Gill - who smashed it with his previous tune Dhol Vajda in Extended Play (in accompany with Tigerstyle). Ok now as with this tune, its titled Aapa Domey, and what to say? Another standard tune, the vibe just goes with the vocals perfectly. This is one great tune, according to me!!

Track 4: Mitra Di Gall, hits up in collaboration with Bhupi Gill (singer), the tune is good if you play it again and again. This type of music have died, I mean even in Punjab the music is getting influenced over modern instruments, this track is very simple. Hope Tigerstyle now introduces this style to UK, as Garage is getting too common.

Ok now, MC stuff here... Tigerstyle introducing new female MC - MC Soom-T, Track 5 is basically MCing fused over music, you might say this is a good way to introduce MC Soom-T, as she is alone in this track and gets more attention, but later on a song starts, but in Vice-Versa as usually you have more song lyrics and less MC'in, in this track there is more MC'in and small part of song. As with the track the music is great, but today very less people bother to listen to the track, which is just filled of MC'in. I am not dissing MCs but I guess it's not my sort of music.

Going along with track 6, it says Gaddi Vich Beja by Surinder Shinda but on the CD but its actually the song Sucha Balbeero by Kuldip Manak, which is a mistake. What Muppets!! I mean I cannot believe a record label as big a Kismet that is run by the big boys Moviebox can make such a cowboy error. What a complete joke, when you consider that these guys have a good percentage of the bhangra industry artists under them it's absolutely shocking too see that they can do this. Do I need to say more? Going back to the song itself, Sucha Balbeero, it's a nice slow classic tune.

Track 7, has a complete new taste of music, this time its Sarbjit Kaur (Ghori fame), with the tune Munda Fasda Hi Nehi. The track is average, I dont like it at all. It sounds bit-annoying but maybe your opinion may differ to mine.

LABH JANJUA!!!!!!! The name needs no introduction, this name have entered the top list in UK. Labh Janjua in this album has a very different tune, as Tigerstyle produced it in very unique style. The tune is Truck Jatt Da, once again with pure Punjabi touch. This song should excite our Driver bros. The tune is great and again it's unique in its way.

Mirza / Sahiban, the most interesting and common topic in Bhangra industry, the Romantic-Tragedy, is the following 9th track, sang by none other than the legendary Surjit Bindrakia accompanied by Gurmeet Kaur. The track is fused with modern and traditional touch. The track is excellent, as the rhythm of tune is great. This tune is another highlight of the album.

Pukka Tingz - track 10, continues the album. The track is kind of instrumental, as its filled just with the dialogues off Punjabi movies, I guess. The music is great, but just the music can't do it all.

Track 11, instrumental again, ok I played it but something is disturbing me, I heard this music before somewhere... errmm can't think!! Yes got it!! The music is much similar to Destiny's Child's SURVIVOR. I am not sure what was the point of adding the instrumental; hopefully they must be having something in mind to add this, or is it another album filler?

Munda Fasda Hi Nehi is back, onto number 12. This version is better than before, the beats are good, and last one was kind of annoying. Plus you have MC Soom-T back again. This is probably ladies, I mean GIRLS track, and if MUNDA NEHI FASDA for any of girl out there, then this one suites you, but most of the time girls have no problem MUNDA FASAUN LAYI.

Track 13, has to be the last and the best SONG of the album. On the personal basis, this is my favourite. The legendary Surinder Shinda who is still living up and contributing alot to Punjabi folk music sang this song. HEER DI KALI as it is named, please doesn't confuse it with old version of Extended Play. The old one had different lyrics and had different taste, i.e. Drum n Bass. This one has different lyrics, with Traditional music fused over western. The Sarangi livens up the track, if the sarangi is removed off this song, it would sound very dull but we know Tigerstyle know exactly what they are doing. The track also features MC Soom-T. As from public I heard, some people say without MC Soom-T, this track could have been much better, while on other hand some appreciate her work.

Track 14, is nothing but the usual outro. The outro has same music as intro, and has MC'ing over it.

And that was the album; Tigerstyle introduced the folk music back to UK industry. If this album would have been released worldwide, I am sure this would have been one big hit, but damn the Kismet (Moviebox), as they have said in interview on this site. They talked about what Kismet (Moviebox) did with them, neither they fulfil their dream of worldwide image nor the dream of the video they wanted. As well as this, they really need to sort out their release dates; I mean it's nothing short of scandalous that the album was released six months after it was ready. Apparently Moviebox did not want to release it as an album and wanted it, as three separate EP's to make them more money. One thing is surely I have noticed in UK industry, no matter how good the song is, the video is that crappy, take it as new Punjab Varga video rolling, the song expresses the beauty of Punjab, while the video has the girls dancing in clubs. Having girls isn't everything, you need to organize a video according to music and lyrics or with some social messages too, those dancing girls just ruins the video, I have noticed like about 75% of videos made in UK has dancing girls. I'm not saying to get rid of it but its not like your video will be on the Top charts due to body exposure. The video of Naag, actually there were two, one was greenery type and another was by TIPS MUSIC, I am talking about TIPS MUSIC one, that video had no body exposure of a girl, the girl was dressed in a suit, and that video was top in charts, and still is. So who needs those dancing girls?? As Tigerstyle said they wanted a proper video done in Punjab, but the corruption of our labels, stops them to do so plus stop them to hit for mainstream area. Getting back to the album, few said Virsa is not all that, but I really criticize that, I don't understand a few people, if an artist does same thing (garage etc), then people say there is NOTHING NEW in the album, if they introduce a new style then they don't like it, then what are they really looking for? According to me, this is one of the outstanding albums of the year 2002. I hope their are more folk-type albums in future, or something new and please no more garage! I would rate this album 8.5 out of 10 as it has some classic tunes and it has a large quantity of songs to offer the consumer good value for money.

 
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Review by: Sidhu
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