Review: ‘Unleashed’- Sangra Vibes

What a way for the talented young duo to make their first mark on this album. The track is truly original in its delivery, cleverly using its selected orchestral sample to full effect. It’s certainly an introduction to what Sangra Vibes is all about- a new, youthful sound, merging with their own musical heritage to bring a new take on bhangra. Meet Malkit’s vocals fit the track perfectly and this is one of those tracks which has to be commended for its originality and idea. It’s not your normal ‘grab- and- use sampling’- it’s sampling creatively and it’s a gamble that has paid off.

Normally when I see the words ‘MC’ on a bhangra track it’s very easy to become skeptical, but once again Sangra Vibes have delivered the goods on this tune. It’s clear that the duo are trying to escape the sound that is flooding the market by bringing in their own take on the music they have grown up with. A track which seamlessly blends that urgent garage sound with the urban bhangra sound, creating what is a monster of a tune. Manak- E is a perfect partner for this track as his thundering vocals help to build on the vibe, and even Speed-e MC deserves praise for what is a talented performance. As with track one, Sangra Vibes have produced another original sounding sound- their sound.

For me this is one of the most beautiful tracks on the album. It has one of those vibes that makes this feel like such a summer tune. What makes this track so good is that it builds on the first two we have already heard, and shows that Sangra Vibes are capable of developing their sound in a number of directions and are not just guilty of going for the same formula time after time. Jeevan Maan does a great job on vocals and they really blend well with the tunes overall feel. It’s a release of the chaos and heat created by tracks one and two- time to chill on this summertime vibe.

Another obscure sample is used to kick off this track which again is to the duo’s advantage. Where most producers would lift the first 50 Cent sample they could lay their hands on, the guys are trying out things other producers just refuse to gamble on, and that is part of what makes Sangra Vibes such a set of talented musicians. They are very much using their own idea’s and have not been forced into their own set box or sound. As far as Laffafe goes, it’s a much slower tune but it still has all the ingredients of a top track- fitting vocals from Davinder Deaalpuri, and maybe a more of a traditional sound than some of this albums earlier tracks.

Lembher Hussainpuri makes his introduction to the album on another uniquely Sangra Vibes production. Once again it’s an attempt to fuse the traditional with the contemporary, and it does work don’t get me wrong. But for me, compared to the immense tracks we have already heard this one doesn’t quite match them in terms of originality. It’s still a great tune and the production standard is there, however it feels slightly abit more formulaic than what we have heard previously from these guys.

Manak- E has really helped the guys on this album with his great vocal performances, no question, and Ranjha Raji is no different in what is another top performance from a great vocalist. By track seven we really have got a feel of Sangra Vibe’s sound and vision, and this track represents that to the fullest. Heavy production and the use of some magnificently played instruments create a full on banger. Five minutes of bhangra mayhem!

A personal favourite of mine, and one of the most beautifully produced bhangra tunes you are ever likely to hear. The arrangement is magnificent, the sound perfect. Press play and drift away on the cloud that Sangra Vibes have managed to create with this tune. Sukhwinder Panchi tops off this track with a superb vocal performance. No amount of credit I give here can really justify this track I feel. If you are in the right mood for this slower number, then you will truly see just what a gem this track really is.

Meet Malkit started this musical journey on track two, and so it’s only fitting his vocals finish the album off here with Jatta De Putt. The weird thing is once again this is a top produced track, but I feel like just with Hai Rabba it feels abit too unadventurous compared to some of the stuff we have already heard. But then again, you can’t expect such a young talented duo to break new ground with every single track. Not really a single filler on this track, and how many albums can we honestly say can live up to that title?

What can I say? A hotly anticipated album has more than certainly delivered on its promise. Sangra Vibes have gone about destroying the typical convention in the industry with their unique vision and ideas, creating gambles which have paid off big time for them. Naal Nachna is truly a superb and unique track, and Changa Ni Lagda at the other end of the scale is both beautiful and bold. For such a young duo this album is an immense result and full credit to Sangra Vibes has to be given for their hard work. We await their next productions knowing that if they match the vision and production of this album, they will certainly be massive names to watch in the industry just when we need new, fresh talent breaking through.