Ghost Album Review

Diljit Dosanjh’s “Ghost” is a classic

by Aryun Pabla

The Confession – This opening dialogue sets the scene for the album’s conceptual direction. Even while reaching pinnacles that no Indian artist in history has touched, Diljit still feels lost. He mentions that it may be because of his career that nobody can relate to, but the “Ghost” speaking back indicates that he’s lost in ways that are deeper on a human level. To him, nothing is in control.

Ghost – After a skit that highlights the negative mental effects of the level of fame and money Diljit has reached, he here expresses the materialistic benefits of his lifestyle. A great opening track about popularity, cars, travel, and luxury through a different lens when compared to “The Confession”. A great start to to the album.

Drowning – A fitting choice for the second song after the title track, as it sounds exactly how the cover art looks. The relaxing vacation type, and natural element-esque mood that this song creates is a true indicator of where it seems Diljit has been mentally (as seen through his love for nature and spiritual peace on social media). The lyrics are enjoyable but the primary impact made by this song is solely off the vibe of it. This track will be the soundtrack behind vacation clips on TikTok, and will serve its purpose perfectly.

Amiri – Similar to the song “Ghost”, this is another track talking about the positive impact of his career on his life. The substance matter is similar to the title track but the beat is even stronger. It seems it has given him a “can’t tell me anything” attitude towards the outside world, but the skits throughout the album indicate that he internally feels lost even whilst having it all.

Feel My Love – The reception to this particular song is a direct representation of how many people throughout the world will react to this album. This techno-dance-style beat is something newer to the Punjabi industry. Off first listen, if a sound isn’t familiar then people tend to have a hard time resonating with it. As you listen to it for the second, third, fourth time, and you know what to expect in terms of beats and lyrics. The listening experience therefore becomes even more and more enjoyable. This song has aged, and will continue to age, like fine wine.

Kinni Kinni – A true testament to how musically innovative this album is. The combination of Punjabi lyrics over a beat derived from the roots of West African culture for the first time ever creates one of the most beautiful tracks on the album. Diljit took a risk here by indulging himself in the Afrobeats style that is so hard to recreate, especially by an artist who is not of African descent… and it was perfection. Just like the previous track, it might take some people a while to catch up and understand what is being done here. But as always, Diljit will continue moving forward simultaneously.

Kehkashan – Comparable to “Drowning”, this instrumental seems to be the type of music that would be the soundtrack to Diljit’s life nowadays, internal peace. However, out of the handful of songs that sound similar to this, Kehkashan is by far the strongest. The lyrics are much more fitting with the vibrant beat, so one does not have to choose if they want to experience just the beat, or just the lyrics like with “Drowning”. A tremendous job of conveying the “careless because content” feeling through music.

Daytona – After a three-song run with lyrics directed towards women, Diljit returns with another “What it’s like to be Diljit Dosanjh” style song. With a twenty-two-track album, it is perfectly okay for the subject matter to be similar throughout some songs, and Diljit has done a masterful job of not making it sound repetitive through his sequencing choices here. Each song that is “similar” seemingly becomes stronger than the last. Great beat, and great delivery of the lyrics on this one.

Poppin – How did he do this? Sonically, this is almost identical to the music Diljit was making before he reached his greatest heights. Once an artist moves on from a stage in their life, going back and recreating that same sound that they may no longer even relate to anymore is one of the most impressive things a music creator can do. In the English hip-hop industry, some of the biggest names such as “Drake” and “The Weeknd” are unfairly criticized for not sounding like their old selves. And that is unreasonable because they have evolved as humans. For Diljit to create a song that sounds like “Los Angeles LA Part 2” at this point in his career is… impressive nonetheless.

Icon – It has been clear, especially after his Coachella appearance, that Diljit has transcended his Punjabi-industry peers and relates more to singers in the bigger worldwide markets. That being said, there is maybe a few (if any) Punjabi artists that can get on beats like this, that sound like they belong on a Travis Scott album, and consistently make great music. The way the his flows change with the beats in this track display talent at its truest form.

Enlightenment – Diljit seems excited to have finally found himself internally, advice that Ghost had offered on the “Confessions” skit. But the true enlightenment that Diljit still needs to reach after understanding himself is conveyed by Ghost, as he tells him that he has to be okay with not being understood in the external world. The perspective that he has achieved is not something all will understand, almost like a testament to his semi-documented spiritual journey. This is a deep dive into the minds of celebrities that have lives nobody relates to. The audience is quick to point fingers at famous figures and label them mentally affected by fame for acting differently because the regular human isn’t accustomed to it, but what if they go on to realize something the general public doesn’t? What if there is an enlightenment that can only be reached when you reach those heights? Instances like this may not be evidence of a person losing touch with reality because of loneliness at the top, but rather the sight of a person seeing things because the view is clearer at the top.

Stars – A very smooth song with great vocals but it has not been mentioned enough in media as it is sandwiched between some of the more standout song runs within the album. This is a solid deep album cut, and a great time to recognize the fact that the calibre of music being put out on this album is almost undeniable. Whether one likes it or not comes down to taste but when you objectively dissect what makes “good music”, all boxes are ticked. The beats, vocals, and lyrics have been top-class so far.

Bad Habits – Bad Habits is the third, but final song (alongside “Drowning” and “Kehkashan”) that I would say is centered around the atmosphere created by the instrumental, even whilst having great lyrics. The summery pop beat is once again easy to lose yourself to and enjoy with a blank mind. But I would highlight that on a tracklist that runs as long as this album does, having one of the three cuts instead of the handful of them would have been a good sequencing choice. That criticism is only applied when listening to the album front to back as a critic, but as music is subjective for the general population, many people will enjoy having the choice between three songs even if they are similar. Out of the three though, Kehkashan still stands out.

Lalkara (feat. Sultaan) – This song comes with the only (and very surprising) feature on the album. Surprising because Sultaan’s work in the past has been treated as music that can be most enjoyed if you resonate with the lyrics especially. And the lyrics at hand have been for a smaller (but extremely loyal) fanbase. So seeing him link up with Diljit, an artist trying to cater to a global audience, was unexpected. As his verse started, the artistic vision between the two was clear because Sultaan played his role perfectly in this song. The flow used by him constructs the overall atmosphere of the song and lays out a red carpet for Diljit to come in and take the song higher. The chemistry is present and makes for another top-quality song.

Jatt Vailly – The hit of the album. Diljit has figured out a formula that can’t go wrong when creating full desi-style songs that will play at every Punjabi/Indian event. Most of the mainstream media has already adopted this track as their favorite pick, and the reason being is that it is the one that is most relatable in terms of sound, lyrics, tone, etc. The roots of “Back to Basics” were revived for this song but his evolution as an artist is still evident as the sound still remains current. A classic Diljit Dosanjh song done to perfection, and the praise given to it is justified.

Whatcha Doin – Incredibly smooth beat that sets the tone for the song. “The Life Of Diljit Dosanjh” subject matter that we have seen on bass-heavy songs like “Ghost” and “Amiri” returns in a very refreshing way as he sings it over a 1990’s RnB beat/sample. What a great artist can do is talk about their life and make the audience feel their experiences. And here Diljit is able to make the listener feel like they are in a luxury car cruising with the windows down on a random summer night, no matter what their actual setting is. Seamless but amazing.

Case – Another hall-party hit. For the same reasons why “Jatt Vailly” gained its popularity, this song follows the route using a similar formula, creating a song that is on-lock to be played at every Indian wedding reception. Again, this track feels like a fusion between “Back to Basics” Diljit and “GOAT” Diljit in the best way possible. This is the type of music that the generation that Diljit Dosanjh hooked in with it’s his older music will attach themselves to first. The innovative songs on this album such as “Kinni Kinni” and “Feel My Love” is music to grow into, so the inclusion of songs that Diljit understands will be “instant classics” like this is a great touch. Perfect balance.

Cry Later – In the music industry there has been a recent uprise in an older style of electronic dance production known as “Jersey Club beats”. It has sounded great until extremely recently; only reason being that the scene has been oversaturated by it after it’s reintroduction through Drake’s “Sticky” and Kendrick Lamar’s “The Hillbillies”. Many artists including Punjabi ones (as seen in AP Dhillon’s “True Stories”) have attempted to deliver their version of it, so as the beat started playing there was a slight concern. It seems that Diljit is immensely in touch with the market as he only uses this Jersey-Club beat for the build-up into a richer beat-drop. Both parts are paired together to keep the song from being boring one. A masterful touch from an artist who understands what’s in trend right now and how much of it is needed.

https://youtu.be/tgGLnxtDC80?si=OTGA6wbLQL_I-Ohr

Infinite Return – It seems that Diljit has finally found his purpose on the final skit of this album. Although it does end with a cliffhanger (an unanswered question), Diljit labels himself as a “spiritual teacher” to his following. It is a full circle moment as he began with feeling lost in his career, but now he recognizes his influence on the ones that are connected to him through his career. And that is his purpose… now, everything is in control.

Psychotic – Easily the greatest vocal display on this entire album. The simple but soothing piano keys create a canvas for Diljit Dosanjh to showcase the reason why he is able to pack arenas night after night on multiple continents. Vocals and lyricism are at their peak here. When comparing this track to the other songs on the album that the Punjabi community will dance to for years, the versatility of this once-in-a-lifetime artist is displayed. The contrast of the songs is commendable, especially when they all still somehow feel like they belong on the same album. This level of fame is not by chance. Just as his career has been, this album is immensely calculated and well-thought-out.

Midnight Desires – It is time to acknowledge that Diljit Dosanjh and The Weeknd are almost parallels in their respective industries. It was prominent when comparing the music within Diljit’s “MoonChild Era” and “After Hours” by The Weeknd. They have taken the role of being the leaders of the 1980’s Electro-Pop and synth-infused style’s resurrection in the 2020’s era. This comparison goes down to the mysterious but meaningful artistic visions in the music videos that accompany these retro-type dance songs. This particular song is another prime example of Diljit’s innovation and his creation of music that is intended for the Punjabi community to grow to. This is why some of the greatest artists aren’t truly appreciated during their reign, but more so after they are gone. Music that advances a whole industry forward in a creativity sense is not meant to be understood off the first listen… this will age beautifully.

Serenade – Just as “Ghost” was a great start to the album, this outro is a very solid closer. It seems like the love songs have come after the “enlightenment” so it is possible that the realization of Diljit’s life is in regards to self-love & love to the world over materialistic items (which still do hold their value in the superstar’s lifestyle). On the surface level though, this song is still just a love song for women, so the only criticism I would have is that this deep album could have had a more introspective ending song that ties all the skits and subject matter together. But as a counterpoint, the album is 22 songs long, so the subject matter is discussed enough over that many tracks. Ending off on another smooth note that ticks all of the boxes of what makes great music is a justifiable choice from Diljit’s teams. 22 songs. 22 great songs. Nobody can complain about great music, and this album is the embodiment of it.

Overall:

Diljit Dosanjh’s achievement with this record undoubtedly ranks as one of the most remarkable accomplishments in his career. While in the past, he consistently delivered diverse tracks in his albums but this one showcases his versatility at its absolute finest.. Having such an immensely diverse album and not having the music seem out of place at all makes “Ghost” sonically his best record to date. The level of vocals, lyricism, and production, displayed on this album is the best they have ever been but it may take some time for the general public to come to that agreement. People feel very connected to Diljit’s older music (such as “Back to Basics” especially) because it was meant for the DJ’s to play at Indian banquet-hall parties. People have spent years upon years forming memories to those Bhangra songs so there is a level of connection to that music that will never be replicated off the first listen of another album. But give it time, let the people form memories with this music playing in the background, and the difference in its quality in the most positive way will be undeniable. Diljit Dosanjh’s “Ghost” is a classic.

Music directors Thiarajxtt and Intense have truly outdone themselves in GHOST , delivering something exceptionally unique and memorable that is bound to leave a lasting impact for decades to come.Raj Ranjodh, Inder Bajwa, Arz, Chani Nattan, and BK’s lyrics have risen to the occasion, setting a remarkable standard that has been missing in Punjabi songs for quite some time. Their lyrical prowess adds a new dimension to the music, making it stand out in the industry.