Kiran Ahluwalia
Kiran Ahluwalia
Triloka/Artemis Records

Considering that Kiran Ahluwalia grew up in Canada, her warm renditions of ghazals and Punjabi folk songs sound as natural as if she had been reared in India. Her love for the music of northern India drew her back to her ancestral lands. She spent several years in India studying classical music, visiting villages in Punjab to learn the traditional music and eventually meeting ghazal composer Vithal Rao to study with him. Ghazals are sung poetry that traveled from Persia (Iran) to India about six centuries ago and have become a part of South Asian music. Her voice isn't forced when she sings in Punjabi and the accompaniment of harmonium, guitar, sarangi and tabla on this recording of mostly original compositions will please traditionalists. Even guest Natalie MacMaster's Celtic fiddle sounds natural in the mix. Nothing here is glossy or over-produced, and the only track in which Ahluwalia stumbles is "Awara," which begs for a male voice. But you have to give her credit for infusing fresh, feminine energy into this traditional track.

Track to burn: "Vo Kuch"

-Samir Shukla