Punjabi star has done everything but appear on the Jukebox, so let’s rectify that…
[Video][Website]
[6.00]
Ashley John: Diljit Dosanjh is an Indian musician, actor, philanthropist, and just about every other title you could name, a star that can only exist in the echoing cavern that is Indian pop culture. “El Sueño” is his latest and long awaited single, and it’s… fine? The Latin overhaul of pop music knows no international borders! The Spanish accents are a miss, which is expected but still frustrating to hear from Tru-Skool. The music video, though, is a beautiful piece of melodrama that makes it almost all worth it.
[5]
Jessica Doyle: I am delighted. Mostly by the guitar and how smoothly it backs up Diljit Dosanjh, but also by the gleeful anti-colonialist period-piece stateliness of the video. And those moustaches! Somewhere Kenneth Branagh is applauding and not bothering to hide his envy.
[8]
Will Adams: A case of a middling song that’s elevated by the choices made around it: for “El Sueno” it’s the appealing fusion supporting Diljit Dosanjh and the powerful video.
[5]
Jonathan Bradley: The concordance located by Dosanjh and producer Tru-Skool between Bhangra rhythms and Latin phrasing is as unexpected as it is obvious once realized. I would prefer, however, if their collaboration had as much as urgency as it does inspiration; “El Sueño” is so genial and frictionless it could usher an office commuter home, cued up after Del Amitri on a drivetime FM playlist.
[6]
Iain Mew: Such a wonderful, meandering instrumental that it’s a bit of a shame every time it gets pulled back into being an average song instead.
[6]
Ian Mathers: Several great tastes that, um, taste reasonably fine together!
[6]