Yaaran, start your engines

British bhangra label Nachural has announced that five of its tracks will appear on a Microsoft racing game for the Xbox 360:

… Nachural has taken bhangra onto another level in announcing the placement of tracks from its catalogue onto [Project Gotham Racing 3], the game to be launched by Xbox [360]… in the winter of 2005…

Two tracks by Achanak (‘Teri Muhabbatan‘ and the ‘Lak Noo’ remix) and three tracks by Tigerstyle (‘Boliyaan,’ ‘Akh Mastani’ and ‘Maan Doeba Da’)… This is the first time that bhangra tracks… have been placed [in] any interactive game… [Link]

Art finally imitates life: First bhangra tracks in a console game?Vinod and I used to car-dance to Achanak while jamming from sterile Seattle up to rockin’ Vancouver on the weekends. Personally, I can’t wait to play berserker bhangra while fragging demons asuras in the next version of Doom. Bhangra’s raw energy is like Nine Inch Nails’ Doom soundtrack, only less sadist. Bow to the power of the turbanator!

In other news, Microsoft plans to release an even deadlier version of Halo (screenshot). It will also one-up Super Mario with Super Patel Brothers, where players must collect cheap vittles from an Indian food superstore in Jackson Heights.

23 thoughts on “Yaaran, start your engines

  1. You can see the latest video by the Hip Hop-Bhangra superstar producers the Kray Twinz with Twista here

    Sardarjis in the house.

    Best thing to come out of Coventry since Lady Godiva (and Panjabi MC)

  2. Speaking of soundtracks & desis, AR Rahman’s ‘Theme of Bombay’ (the Maniratnam movie, not the Webber-ified crap) is featured in the Cage movie, Lord of War.

  3. Manoj, the Bombay theme has been on everything, everywhere. The BBC use it on practically a monthly basis. Fair dos – it’s a beautiful piece. I’m preparing a set for a uni party and I’ve just got a dirty drum & bass remix of it, nice.

    PB, what’s the deal on Achanak? I heard about Tigerstyle getting involved with GR3 a few weeks back, but don’t know much about Achanak.

  4. Bongo

    They are a live band in a time of DJ-Producers – but the label they are signed with made a few millions from Panjabi MC’s Mundian Bach Ke so they are building up a big list of artists and spreading the bhangra love – and their music is very DESI – it is bhangra – not hip hop bhangra or two step bhangra – proper songs and lick bhangra – just pure bhangra which I personally love because I’ve had enough of all that weak MCing over a bhangra track crapola – so if you like that thing its for you.

    Tigerstyle remix of Daddy Yankee is wicked you heard it?

  5. The gasoline one? Yeah, I like just about everything Tigerstyle come out with. I don’t know why – I’ve already admitted to not being a bhangra-head, in fact I’m pretty far from being a big fan, but Tigerstyle seem to get the vibe right every time. You can imagine any of their joints blasting at a party, whereas some bhangra is too exclusive – nobody outside the bhangra circle would appreciate it. I’ve heard Tigerstyle get dropped in various clubs around London, in black and white crowds. Remember that girl group I compared to LIDL? (Rouge were the Co-op) Serese – they were mentioned on here a little while ago. I’m going to a party tonight and I think they’re performing. I’ll let you know whether they’re destined to follow in the footsteps of Cornershop, or if they’ll be working in the cornershop. Hopefully they’ll be bhangra hoochies!

  6. Nice link. I haven’t got any Tigerstyle stuff for ages, have to go shopping. I only know one Rouge girlie.

    Apparently there’s been a change of plan for tonight. Now we’re going to the after party of One Dollar Curry. They have free booze! Hoochies vs. free booze. A wonderfully painful choice. Screw it, I’ll do both.

  7. Bongo!

    I was only joking – I know you are a hero and champion of the show biz scene who knows gyals from Rouge

    Ligging

    1. To lie about idly. 2. To freeload, especially in the media or entertainment industries.

    I a ligger except a ligger on the pub scene. No show biz friends.

  8. Funny, I’ve never heard that word before, is it northern? I lig with the BEST. My ligging is extraordinary. It knows no bounds. Hehe, I love definition number 2.

    In all seriousness, I enjoy events and whatnot I go to because I’m NOT in the media. I don’t need to impress anyone nor care if they think I’m a cock (they all do). However many of my friends are in the media and every time they’re out they’re networking – they get fed up with it, but it’s the only way up.

    And, as you may know, the British Asian media circle is a dot – it’s TINY. Everyone knows everyone. You know that six degrees of separation theory? We play 2 degrees and manage to link ourselves to any Asian name in the UK! So there’s loads and loads of backstabbing and bitching. It’s unbelievable. Brown people love to bitch. I’d hate to be in the media full time, it’s too insecure for me. Which is why I think people that go for it are cool.

  9. BongB, yeah I figured Britain had really embraced Rahman when I saw a very Tamil Rahman rhythm sample from Ottagathe Kattiko being used in the background for a London-based fashion show. But in the US, his work has not been exploited as much. Not even rappers, who for some reason chose Bappi Lahiri, Kalyandji Anandji & S.Indian great Ilaiyaraja over him. As for Hollywood soundtracks, I think the last time it featured a Bollywood tune was in Moulin Rouge (Chamma Chamma).

  10. Punjabi Boy! Here’s the report then…I MET KAPIL DEV! Nothing much else matters on a night when you meet the Indian captain who lifted the world cup! Woohoo!

    I never saw Serese play, I left that party early and headed to the One Dollar Curry thing. Free food and booze, music to my ears. As for the film, a friend was sent a promo vid and apparently threw up after 5 minutes. Now that’s bad. Anyway, Kapil Dev was there!

    Hoochie report: Hoochie count in the first party (Bombay Bronx) was superb, very impressive. Hoochie count at One Dollar Curry thing was shocking. And I was the youngest there by a way. I was expecting some floozies as I’ve heard this Vikram Chatwal fella is some big time playboy, but he was jet-lagged and went to bed. Bah!

    PS – PB, not ALL Asians in media are like that, some are top notch. But they’re in a minority, let’s be fair.

  11. PGR3 for desis, hopefully they have a couple marutis in the game just for kicks :-).

    P.S. My first post dude, your website has got some neat posts. You da man!