Top 5 Mixes of the 2014-2015 Season

[DamanSingh]

What are your top 5?

My top 5:

1.) DC Bhangra Crew @ Elite 8 2015
2.) University of Birmingham @ The Bhangra Showdown 2015
3.) Josh Valaithian Da @ WBBC 2015
4.) Shaan Mutiyaaran Di @ Bhangra Fever 6
5.) CMU Bhangra @ Bhangra Blowout 2015

 

[Guri Grewal]

My top 5
1.) UCL bhangra @ TBS 2015
2.) KCL @ TBS 2015
3.) Joshiley Jawan @ Elite 8 2015
4.) Ankhilie @ wbbc 2015
5.) Jvd @ wbbc 2015

 

[DamanSingh]

My top 5
1.) UCL bhangra @ TBS 2015
2.) KCL @ TBS 2015

KCL@TBS 2015 is in my top 10. Also, UoL/DMU@TBS! UK teams had some great mixes this season. Or maybe I'm just paying a little more attention to the UK scene

 

[MohitoK]

1. Furteelay @ Boston 2014
2. NSG @ Bruin 2015
3. DCBC @ Elite 8
4. SGPD @ Windy City 2015 (Bindrakhia boli unfff)
5. DRP @ Bruin 2015

 

[AGSMavi]

1. Gabru Chel Chabileh - TBC 2014
2. Furteelay Shokeen - BBC 2014
3. Nachde Shokeen Gabroo - WBBC 2015
4. Ankhileh - TBC 2014
5. Nachdi Jawani Warriors - BAB 2014

 

[ishaankolluri]

1) Furteelay Shokeen @ WBBC 2015(I enjoyed the khunde & jhoomer segments here better than BBC)
2) Gabru Chel Chabileh @ TBC 2014
3) Ankhile @ WBBC 2015
4) First Class Bhangra @ Burgh 2014
5) Josh Valaithian Da @ WBBC 2015


Close seconds for me are CMU @ Blowout, Vancity @ Bruin, FCB @ Bruin, UoBirmingham @ TBS, and Imperial College London @ TBS 2015, in no order there.

 

[Prabhzy]

1. GCC at TBC 2014
2. DCBC at Elite 8 2015
3. JVD at WBBC 2015
4. Imperial at TBS or CMU at Blowout 2K15
5. Ankhile at WBBC 2015

 

[TSingh1]

1. GCC - TBC 2014
2. NSG - WBBC 2015
3. JVD - WBBC 2015
4. NSG - BBC 2014
5. JJ - Elite 8




Didn't include CMU/FCB mixes, but they're super hawt. Shoutouts to Amar and Ram.

 

[AmitojSThind]

1. Joshiley Jawan Elite 8 2015 (best end seg of the year)
2. Ankhile WBBC 2015 (bhindrakhiya kato drop was sick)
3. Gabru Chel Chabileh TBC 2015 (the intro and saap seg was killer)
4. Nachdi Jawani Warriors Big Apple 2014 (well rounded mix with great song selection)
5. Furteelay Shokeen Boston 2014 (nice powerful saap seg, gimmick songs tied in well and the pauna bhangra end seg was legit)

Liked these as well, in no particular order: JVD WBBC (2015), Fauj Boston 2014, UCL bhangra TBS 2015, University of Birmingham TBS 2015, NSG wbbc 2015, Imperial College tbs 2015, Nachda sansar tbc 2014 and First class bhangra bruin 2015 (more tradz mix which was nice).

 

[siddyp]

I would love to know: what to you guys makes a great mix? and don't just say "if it's hype." Go deep. explain why the 5 you chose are in your top 5.

Mixers put a lot of time and effort into their work. But there is often little to no feedback on the forum. For a young mixer trying to learn and improve, they may try to model/mimic mixes that they see in your top 5's and ones that they also like. But what makes you love the mixes you chose? Would love to see some awesome discussion from those who've posted and mixers themselves

 

[scaplash]

My top five mixes this year are:
1) Furteelay at BBC
2)GCC at TBC/JJ Elite 8
3)NSG at BBC
4) Steel City R2B2
5) DCBC at Elite 8/Columbia Bhangra

For me personally I think what makes a good mix comes on a couple different levels. One is straight song selection and personal preference. Some people like a lot of hip hop, some like contemporary punjabi songs, others like traditional/folky throwbacks. Personally I am fan of a mix that has a good mixture of songs, solid changes in style and tempo.In picking songs, I always end up going for songs that are on the more folky end in the singing and composing.

I think on another level, what makes a good mix is the actual mixing, how seamless transitions are and how well other songs/backbeats are put onto a track. A good DJ in my opinion can enhance any song with a remix in a way where the listener isn't distracted by the actual extra beat/melody.

And lastly I think execution of the set is something that also can make
a good mix (for me at least)-its a type of bias for me- if a team really kills a certain segment/song, I end up liking that song a lot more than I would have listening to it on its own. I think a lot of people fall under this bias in a way- you look at the mixes written here and while I can't speak to their mixing quality, a lot of the mixes are of teams that have had some memorable sets over this past year-so in my head I feel like there is a correlation between the two.

That's just my opinion as a dancer and bhangra fan.

 

[siddyp]

I think on another level, what makes a good mix is the actual mixing, how seamless transitions are and how well other songs/backbeats are put onto a track. A good DJ in my opinion can enhance any song with a remix in a way where the listener isn't distracted by the actual extra beat/melody.

Could you elaborate on this? The word that doesn't quite jive with me is "distracted." Idk if that word is actually describing what you're trying to say. Cause to me, a very light or soft back beat can "enhance" a song, but so can a loud/heavy beat.

And lastly I think execution of the set is something that also can make
a good mix (for me at least)-its a type of bias for me- if a team really kills a certain segment/song, I end up liking that song a lot more than I would have listening to it on its own. I think a lot of people fall under this bias in a way- you look at the mixes written here and while I can't speak to their mixing quality, a lot of the mixes are of teams that have had some memorable sets over this past year-so in my head I feel like there is a correlation between the two.

I think this is an extremely interesting point. That people like mixes based upon the efforts of everyone else but the mixer. The choreo/formations/gimmicks/and the execution of it all.

The mixer ultimately has little to no ability to influence this part outside of sound effects/drops/changes in beats to enhance the visual. Because the mixer could do an amazing job implementing the effects/etc. to compliment the visual, but if everyone else doesn't do their job, the mixers effort doesn't reap the reward...

 

[ramv88]

1. Ankhile WBBC 2015 - Loved the opening, used the phone warga----jhummar was hot. A pleasure to listen to while watching the routine and also on its own. Great Job Harpal!

2.First Class Bhangra Bruin 2015- Opening intro was hype. had some effects which if you didn't watch the routine, you wanted to know what they were doing. The Hero instrumental at the end (yo la) was a good touch.

3. CMU Burgh 2014- This mix imo is better when you saw the live routine----it was very fun!

4. DCBC- DC represent. geet purane (end) was my favorite!

5. Furteelay Bruin - GSimz really did a great job layering the beats which I think sounds better while watching the routing compared to just listening it on its own. Jhummar (still dre) was an amazing idea--my favorite! please release that mix!


honorable mentions: MOB Burgh, SMD Fever, DRP Bruin,

IMO- Mixes from the power house teams stepped up for the most part. Hopefully the other teams can take notice and elevate their game and release some sick stuff too!

- Dholi Ram

 

[Aditya]

And lastly I think execution of the set is something that also can make
a good mix (for me at least)-its a type of bias for me- if a team really kills a certain segment/song, I end up liking that song a lot more than I would have listening to it on its own. I think a lot of people fall under this bias in a way- you look at the mixes written here and while I can't speak to their mixing quality, a lot of the mixes are of teams that have had some memorable sets over this past year-so in my head I feel like there is a correlation between the two.

I think this is an extremely interesting point. That people like mixes based upon the efforts of everyone else but the mixer. The choreo/formations/gimmicks/and the execution of it all.

The mixer ultimately has little to no ability to influence this part outside of sound effects/drops/changes in beats to enhance the visual. Because the mixer could do an amazing job implementing the effects/etc. to compliment the visual, but if everyone else doesn't do their job, the mixers effort doesn't reap the reward...

Better teams have more coherent dancing ideas and the music is usually cut and mixed to match that. I also think better/more experienced teams have better overall song selection and more helpful ideas to contribute, which plays a HUGE role in whether a mix turns out well or not. A mixer is at the mercy of the team he/she mixes for -- if the team comes up with an idea that doesn't make sense and insists on doing it, that's going to be reflected in the mix.

In this case, familiarity also breeds success -- the better a team is, the more people are going to watch their video, then know the set, and remember the music. It gives the mix more of a chance to grow on viewers/listeners and have positive associations with it.

 

[scaplash]

I think on another level, what makes a good mix is the actual mixing, how seamless transitions are and how well other songs/backbeats are put onto a track. A good DJ in my opinion can enhance any song with a remix in a way where the listener isn't distracted by the actual extra beat/melody.

Could you elaborate on this? The word that doesn't quite jive with me is "distracted." Idk if that word is actually describing what you're trying to say. Cause to me, a very light or soft back beat can "enhance" a song, but so can a loud/heavy beat.

I think both subtle and non-subtle back beats can 100% enhance a song, but Ithink I personally draw the line when that backbeat and song feel like two separate entities. In my opinion, a good has seamless integration between the backbeat and the song. Sometimes DJs will throw in a backbeat and I'll end up paying more attention to (or be distracted by) that. And in some cases the effects will add up and just come out noisy.

And lastly I think execution of the set is something that also can make
a good mix (for me at least)-its a type of bias for me- if a team really kills a certain segment/song, I end up liking that song a lot more than I would have listening to it on its own. I think a lot of people fall under this bias in a way- you look at the mixes written here and while I can't speak to their mixing quality, a lot of the mixes are of teams that have had some memorable sets over this past year-so in my head I feel like there is a correlation between the two.

I think this is an extremely interesting point. That people like mixes based upon the efforts of everyone else but the mixer. The choreo/formations/gimmicks/and the execution of it all.

The mixer ultimately has little to no ability to influence this part outside of sound effects/drops/changes in beats to enhance the visual. Because the mixer could do an amazing job implementing the effects/etc. to compliment the visual, but if everyone else doesn't do their job, the mixers effort doesn't reap the reward...

Better teams have more coherent dancing ideas and the music is usually cut and mixed to match that. I also think better/more experienced teams have better overall song selection and more helpful ideas to contribute, which plays a HUGE role in whether a mix turns out well or not. A mixer is at the mercy of the team he/she mixes for -- if the team comes up with an idea that doesn't make sense and insists on doing it, that's going to be reflected in the mix.

In this case, familiarity also breeds success -- the better a team is, the more people are going to watch their video, then know the set, and remember the music. It gives the mix more of a chance to grow on viewers/listeners and have positive associations with it.

I agree with both points- more experienced teams know what they want and what they are going for. I think its hard for younger teams to a. know what they want (outside of the traditional segments that are in just about every Bhangra performance) and b. know where to find songs (at least that's been my personal experience).
I think on another level, a lot of independent teams and in general successful teams have a mixer that is in some way associated with the team. I think with younger teams that don't necessarily have that relationship with a DJ its harder to churn out a unique and well-made mix. If a DJ is nearby (or can come to a practice) and can talk with the captain and the team I feel like the mixes just come out better because the DJ gets a better sense of what the team wants-a lot of ideas can be difficult to convey over e-mail or phone.

 

[smehta313]

Furteelay Bruin 2015.
Anytime Gursimran(Gsimz) makes a mix, it's fire.

 

[nkrishnan]

Heard columbia's mix sucked this year

 

[Saab]

Heard columbia's mix sucked this year

Totally.

 

[GSingh]

For me, a mix is 80% song selection and 20% mixing. It should be mixed well but if its so obscure or cluttered that I can't sing along to it, it wont be memorable for me. Ideally it has both old and new songs as well as heavily mixed and relatively untouched portions. Balance.


Additionally: teams that don't have good punjabi speakers, please get help from someone who does. I cringe at some of the songs that teams end up dancing to... I can't speak for the east coast as I haven't had the chance to go but on the west, a large part of the audience is punjabi speaking so it gets awkward -- sometimes to the point where joking about a team's song selection becomes compulsory.