Partners in Rhyme is a young production duo of Indian decent who make their home in the UK. Hardip & Prem are part of Project Bhangra, which has the goal of bringin UK-based Indian music to a worldwide audience.
I was very curious about how PIR maintain their cultural identity through their music, and what they plan to do with their talent. Hot on the heels of their latest album Distant Voices on which the duo brings together some incredible Bhangra and Indian artists, they took some time out to answer my questions.
PIR: We are a British born South Asian production duo who have
most recently released our 3rd album to major critical acclaim. Our music
style combines the essence of traditional Punjabi Bhangra, Hindi film music
with the wide array of music styles they have been raised on in England.
Project Bhangra teamed up with us on release of their 3rd album Distant
Voices and has helped us to achieve notoriety for our
music through extensive promotion and media work. The album features eight
tracks by some of the leading names in Bhangra and the Hindi film world and
has been tagged as a ‘global album with something for everyone.’
Paula: Why is Indian music like Bhangra getting so much attention these days?
PIR: With the type of exposure the likes of PIR give Bhangra [originating from the
state of Punjab, in Northern India], the music has been given a new lease of
life by Punjabi’s and Indians who have taken the music with them to their
homes outside of India. Simply, traditional Bhangra can be described as the
music of James Brown in his musical heyday. Now, he and his music have
embraced the modern music moods to create something unique while always
keeping the formula of the original sound. Bhangra now is a million miles from
Bhangra in the past but at the same time it cannot leave the traditional style
behind !
Paula: I got the distinct feeling that the artists on the albums you sent were
including traditional Indian folk, sort of like getting back to their roots.
Yet these people live in the UK! Why the sudden need to reconnect?
PIR: Reconnect ? No ! It was never a case of un-connecting !! Growing up, the music
has been always a prominent feature of our lives We have always listened to it
and kept an informed account of what Bhangra was saying. We just used our
western music influences to give the traditional music style something else; a
sound clash of east and west.
Paula: How is your career going so far?
PIR: We have just been signed to SONY due to the amazing success of the album
Distant Voices. Our UK based record company, Oriental Star Agencies, has
given us a strong base to get this exclusive recording deal. We've
picked up a number of top South Asian music awards and are also
nominated for two prestigious music awards at the Asian Pop & Media Awards,
which is being held on June 7th 1998, for ALBUM OF THE YEAR and SONG OF THE
YEAR. Next year will be spent promoting the current album and planning
the next project. Exciting times ahead !
Paula: What do you see as the future for this kind of music?
PIR: The future ? There are no barriers. Music has overcome any that were in its
way ! PIR carry the Bhangra flag in the UK -- the next year will see us step up
the fight to gain world-wide acclaim !
Special thanks to Jatender Heer of Project Bhangra for helping organize this two-part Bhangra feature.
Jatender has written two articles about PIR, in the online Indian lifestyle and entertainment magazines Masala and Little India.
Photo used with permission.
