Known for his role as singer and trumpet-player in Brooklyn bhangra band Red Baraat, Sonny Singh is now striking out alone with a brand new solo album that sees him return to his Punjabi and Sikh roots. Chardi Kala, which comes out on May 13, will see Singh unleashing a set of uplifting Punjabi anthems and Sikh kirtan, imbued with his own unique experiences as a musician, educator and activist.

Ahead of the full album, Singh has released a video for the first single, 'Aisee Preet'. Based on a 16th century Sikh shabad (devotional poem) by Guru Arjan, the tune gets an injection of brass in Singh's update and a percussive lift from traditional drums, including dholki, dhad and chimta. The video was filmed in Richmond Hill, the epicentre of New York's Sikh community, and is released today (April 14) to mark Vaisakhi, the start of the Punjabi new year and the celebration of the birth of the Khalsa.

Chardi Kala will be released on May 13. Stay tuned for a review of the album in the July issue (#179), on sale June 17