Prolific Mohali MC Sikander Kahlon isn’t only a veteran of pioneering Punjabi hip-hop crews such as M-Brigade and KKG. On his explosive solo release ARYA, the beat-hopping star also captures the incendiary spirit of old-school gangsta rap in contemporary fashion. He wears his classic influences on his sleeve—one of the album’s standouts is a fittingly bass-heavy earworm titled “Rick Ross”—while spitting customary barrages across high-octane bars. And multiple collabs inject punchy doses of fun throughout, from the tongue-in-cheek “Bring The Pain” to the club-ready “Banu Kush”.