What do you do if you’re an aspiring European desi pop star with a catchy yet disposable sound derivative of Jay Sean? You find a producer from Cøpenhagen and put out a stoned vision of a video. The Bombay Rockers are neither rockers nor from Bombay. Discuss.
24 year old Indian Navtej Singh Rehal is the central musician behind Bombay Rockers. Navtej is born in Denmark (Copenhagen), but has his roots in India. He grew up at Nørrebro and has gone through the whole public system – from nursery to gymnasium in Denmark, except for two years, where he went to school in India… Together with the two Danish producers, Janus Bosen Barnewitz and Thomas Sardord, Navtej is the core of Bombay Rockers. [Culturebase]
The Hindu shows why you don’t turn to a paper called The Hindu for music reviews:
The twosome have innovatively mixed an evergreen Punjabi folk song called “Ari Ari” in two versions… one only wishes that they had done away with the slang in the lyrics. [The Hindu]
Their first single, ‘Ari Ari,’ was the rage in Danish dance clubs, & their latest single, ‘Rock tha Party,’ was a hit in Europe & the CD has spent 10 weeks at #1 in India. [Beautiful Atrocities]
Except for the bass, their version of the old bhangra song ‘Ari Ari’ hews pretty closely to the original, there’s no Jay-Z breaking in. If unsweetened, traditional bhangra can make in Europe, could it make it in the U.S.?
Punjabi Boy reviews the ‘Rock tha Party’ video for you, though I’m guessing the state in which something’s rotten is actually Denmark:
The Punjabi dude and the Swedish hero pick up a couple of blonde chicks in Stockholm and have a groovy one night stand with them…. But the Swedish chicks are vexed because they got played. So theycall this assasination hit squad of giant teddy bears…
Pretty people being chased by ridiculous assassins? Bad guys subtitled with silly monikers? Wonder if Punjabi MC’s ever done something like this.
Watch the supremely silly video. Sajit’s previous post here.
this video is mind-blowing! lmao. mutiny 4 life.
The Hindu is the best newspaper in India. One of the oldest,most reputed,trusted and respectable news source founded in 1878.
Aten bhai, we’re all familiar with Indian papers. I’m confident in saying that in the field of Eurobhangra, The Hindu does terrible music reviews 😉
Manish bhai, I dint mean to say u r not familiar with Indian newspapers, just thought I would point out this fact. was just adding a footnote thatsall 🙂
Looks like u r actually unfamiliar 🙂 Comparing TOI and The Hindu is like comparing NY Post to NY Times or Washington Post. Afterall clubbing all Indian newspapers as a single entity aint right.
The role of The Hindu and some other newspapers in the Indian Freedom movement and their historic role in many other social causes is pretty large and important. Its name is not an indicator of what it is. The full explanation was a part of a chapter in my 8th grade history book, so forgive me if I wont take the pains to explain it all.
Just think of it as the Grand Old Lady of Indian print media.
But I concede it might have got the music review wrong, I know nothing about this kind of music and I guess grand old ladies dont also 🙂
But I say for sure that its coverage of news is exemplary, classical indian music is wonderful, its sports(esp cricket) coverage is delightful etc etc
BTW if u can, try doing its crossword, nothing matches it.
wow, finally a video for furry masochists… Gotta get me a hit squad like that… 🙂
Very enjoyable video and song. It’s silly, but at least it’s unassuming. Sometimes that’s just how you want your Scandinjabi pop songs.
Is “Teri to” slang? I thought it was just Punjabi…
Incidentally, any fans of the Scandinhindi fusion group Bombay Vikings out there? They are from Sweden. Oh, and here is the review of the new CD in The Hindu. Not bad, actually (I have the new CD). One small quibble: I think they are confusing “trance” with “house.”
Everywhere Punjabis go, they soon start making music!
Its in our blood and our soul!
Not even assassination hit squads of teddy bears can stop us!
We are so wonderful!
I love it that Punjabis are so fantastic!
We are the best we are the best!
Woo hoo!
UK Bhangra Dot Com
I love it!
Probably directed by a Spike Jonze wannabe.
Bombay Vikings are pretty good too, thanks for throwing that out there, Amardeep.
I’m not sure if it’s that punjabis can’t be stopped, or if it’s Punjabi Boy that can’t be stopped… He’s a dancin’, teddy-bear-hatin’, zebra eatin’, chutney-funkin’ gangsta!
You forgot to say I’m a Kung-Fu master too!
I was expecting a really crappy video based on comments but it turned out to be funny and entertaining! Furry hitmen…maybe its the Homer Simpson in me but that is just brilliant!
Oh interesting, I actually thought they were from Bombay because their songs like “Woh Chali” and “Kya Soorat Hai” were massive hits in India when they came out. Plus the guy has a total Indian accent, “no-one so saxy, in whole ga-laxy”
ah u guys are harsh man.. im from denmark myself, and seen these guys live many times. theyre good entertainers.. and the video, yeah its lame, but dont say the music sucks too!! 😐
nobody was saying the video sucked, in fact I think we were digging it heartily.
Does anybody know anything more about the video?Who did it and where can it be found?
:=)
i remember when i just to love her