Red Baraat - Bhangra Pirates (2017)

Eight-piece Brooklyn Bhangra band Red Baraat are releasing a new album, Bhangra Pirates, on March 24 via Rhyme & Reason (pre-order physical or digital). The band are really more of a live band than a studio band, and this album stems from some in-studio recordings Red Baraat did with KEXP in 2015. According to bandleader and dhol player Sunny Jain, the band had the KEXP recordings mixed and mastered by Dave Sharma, and “then ‘re-imagined’ some previously recorded material by adding guitar to the tracks and re-mixing and re-mastering them as well.” They recently released the song “Bhangale,” featuring Delicate Steve, and we’re now premiering the title track. As you’d expect from Red Baraat, it’s a funky, groovy, lively, party-ready jam, and you can stream it below.

"Bhangra Pirates is the most successful attempt to package that energy yet for Red Baraat, ecstatic and frenzied, turning each individual listening at home into a full audience." In our book, that makes the record a PopMatters Pick as Red Baraat has finally managed to capture their astounding energy and virtuosity as performance artists on record.

The band tells us that "Bhangra Pirates is a documentation and reflection of who and what the band is now, a re-imagination of our adventurous nature that embodies the free spirit, rebelliousness, community, tradition, and new journeys."

"Jazz, funk, and rock and roll all play important parts on Bhangra Pirates, and it’s clear early on the album, even to newcomers, that Red Baraat is less about sticking to a genre than to doing what makes the whole band -- and the whole audience -- have a genuinely great time." If you haven't hopped aboard the Red Baraat train yet, now's the time.