We look back at the best album of 2004! It's been a fantastic year for desi music in terms of mainstream attention but keeping with the desi side of things that has made the best albums this year? Da Crew at desitunes4u got together to judge what they thought was the best by voting for their favourite albums. The list excludes compilation efforts which consist of previously released tunes. It also excludes RnB albums such as Jay Sean's Me Against Myself and Raghav's Storyteller. We'll give you our top 10 in reverse order, with some comments on what we thought about the album!
10) J-Skillz's 'Pre'sentz' by Richard
J-Skillz is one of the genuinely talented Asian producers out there and 'J Skillz Pre'sentz' is a perfect move as it showcases his skillz (pun intended) against the talents of new vocalists from the sub continent. Nimarita makes a big impact on 'Mankeh' and we also hear the voices of Dildar Preet, Jeeta, Anandeep Aman and Parvin alongside household names such as Surinder Shinda and Manak-e. It's got some great party tracks like 'Mankeh', but the chill out of the second half of the CD means you can stick in the hi-fi and go to sleep on it and 'Talk Tonite' is just awesome.
9) Amit Rai's 'My Way' by Aamna
After the success of his first album, Amit Rai returned to us this year after a space of 3 years with an album that I can only describe as excellent! For me, personally, the sequel is much better than the debut. Featuring artists such as Surinder Shinda, Master Salim, Nimrita, Ranjit Mani and Master Rakesh amongst others, it's no wonder that this album is most definitely top notch. 'Ishk Tere Ne' is most definitely the best track on the album with 'Chitiaye' and 'Aashkan De' following closely behind. Definitely an album you ought to have in your collection - if you don't, why the hell not???
8) 'Danger 3' by Masaeb
Whether you love em, or hate em, the marmite of the Bhangra industry Untouchables keep doing it, call it repetitive if you must, but the tried and trusted mix of garage and hip-hop with a bit of old skool boliyan has done the trick yet again, nothing as good as it predecessors especially with the pioneers of danger Metz and Trix notably absent, never the less a good effort in an otherwise lame year for bhangra. The album features the hit songs in 'Punjabanay' and 'Aaja Saja.'
7) Hunterz's 'Phat Trax Volume 1' by Usman
"Hunterz gonna make you bounce yo" with Phat Trax Volume One. Problem they seem to have is their tracks making it big much after the album release and once he's performed it a few times 'on the road' so to speak. Pretty much every track's blatant desire is to make you want to get up and dance, nothing wrong with that at all! So in 2005 be prepared to be oscillating your gluteus maximus at various speeds and directions to 'Dil', 'Tera Pyar', 'Nachna', Dil Karda Eh' and I suppose I also give a mention to Irfan's favourite 'Yaara Di Yaari.'
6) Sahara's 'Undisputed' by Usman
This is a return from exile more than merely an album. Out of the musical wilderness steps Sahara with 'Undisputed'. With the same unmistakeable style and almost effervescent energy then bring to music and the small matter of arguable THE track of the year 'Lal Ghagra' (If you haven't heard it then you need a slow and painful death, possibly involving Vaseline, a shaving brush and a small plastic replica of the Eiffel tower). This instant legend is just one of the highlights of this album, check out the 'Desi Twist' on Salt n Pepper on 'Nahi Lubna' and the romantic and lyrical depth of 'Pyar.'
5) 'Genie-Us' by Sidhu
Genie-Us is probably my best album of the year. The album has no fillers; all the tracks are treat to the ear. Yaar, Thekha, Billo, Rang, GT Road, Sohne Munde, Fulkari all are among the best tunes of the year. The producers Aman Hayer, Lion, and Groove Productions have just smashed it. Lyrically too, the album is very nice especially the lyrics of Yaar which are just superb. The album is more focused more on the Bhangra flavour, which is the way I like it so hats off to the Genie Records camp.
4) Mukhtar Sahota's '4 The Muzik' by Rakesh
My top album for this year would have to be, Mukhtar Sahota with his stunning second album, 4 The Muzik. Mukhtar, who is a member of the successful group The Sahotas, really came into his own with this album. This masterpiece brought us such ground braking tracks as Rang Kala, and the critically acclaimed Jogi, with its banging rock and electro guitar anthems, giving a fresh breath of air to an exhausted hip-hop / garage trend. Both tracks have top videos, which are still popular on the music channels.
3) Specialist n Tru-skool's 'Word Is Born' by DJ Dev
The album 'Word is Born' came out right towards the end of the year, and irrelevant of what anybody else says - in my opinion, it was head and shoulders above anything else that came out this year. At last I had an album that I could listen to without forwarding tracks or interludes. This album was made for the bhangra music enthusiast. No rubbish garage tracks or lame MC's. Sure the album was full of samples ranging from AS Kang and Taz to Panjabi MC and A Tribe Called Quest, but it's how the samples are used rather than the use of them. Word is Born was the album that reminded me of how bhangra was back in the day. Definitely one for the Old Skool, or should that be Tru-Skool?!?
2) 'Juggy D' by Richard Juggy D's album was possibly the most anticipated of 2004. After months of delays, the debut release from 2point9 shattered records for sales in the first week of an Asian release due to retail giant HMV taking the brother from Southall on board. With party anthems like 'Sohniye' and 'Gabaru', through the tribal and politically correct 'Nasheh', to the subtle and beautiful 'Akheer', Juggy's album is a perfect presentation of pop bhangra.
1) Swami's 'DesiRock' by Irfan
DesiRock is the first release by the new Swami crew that includes DJ Swami, Sarpanch, S-Endz and Jagz (DSI) as well as featuring the guest vocals of Taz, Lembher and Master Rakesh. The whole album takes fusion to a new level and brings a totally new sound, which you can call the DesiRock sound! The production is just on another level with original beats courtesy of the main man DJ Swami. In the year 2004, no one has come with anything different and it's just been a case of same old sh**; different album. So when the industry was craving for something fresh, something unique and something new let's hail the Swami crew as the saviours!
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Top 10 Albums - 2004 |
|
No |
Cover |
Artist |
Album |
|
1 |
 |
Swami |
|
|
2 |
 |
Juggy D |
|
|
3 |
 |
Specialist n Tru-skool |
|
|
4 |
 |
Mukhtar Sahota |
|
|
5 |
 |
Various Artists |
|
|
6 |
 |
Sahara |
|
|
7 |
 |
Hunterz |
|
|
8 |
 |
Various Artists |
|
|
9 |
 |
Amit Rai |
|
|
10 |
 |
J-Skillz |
|
|
