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MUSICBOX: Under wraps
Khadija may well prove to be the music industry’s ‘next big thing’ as she sings, literally, like a free bird. Her music reveals that she is totally indifferent to societal norms and lives by her own rules. Her voice still has a raw teenage edge, but in places it sounds incredibly mature. So, the success of her debut album, Dclassified seems guaranteed, but that is not the case due to certain reasons.
First of all, her album comes a long time after the release of her first single, O dilbar meray, so people could not instantly recognize her name. Secondly, though she does come up with some really mind-blowing Punjabi numbers that are incredibly peppy, these songs are few and far between. Thirdly, the album has hardly been hyped in the media, with next to no publicity.
The record starts off with a bang, taking you by surprise as the musical and lyrical quality of the debutante’s first single, O dilbar meray, is at par with any of the hit Pakistani pop songs these days. Moreover, she sings with amazing aplomb throughout, depending a little on the artificial alterations in her voice, which is fine, as long as the overall effect is audibly appealing. The song’s video depicts a girl who knows nothing except daydreaming about catwalks alone on the isolated roads!
Later in the album, one comes across some equally interesting numbers with a heavy remix element such as Multani kangan and Saudha iko jia. Both these Punjabi tracks are sure to vie for the top position in the charts. The former benefits from the appropriate remix while the latter showcases Khadija’s singing talent at its best. The singer also pays tribute to Madame Nur Jehan by rendering her all time hit Jadon Hole Jiya. Despite the fact that several singers have tried their hand with this particular song, Khadija’s version holds its own. The rest of the album is a compilation of average Punjabi tracks, which may appeal to only a particular group of people.
A little more attention towards the finishing and marketing of the album and inclusion of a few more Urdu songs could have made Dclassified an extraordinary effort.—Azeem Haider
Heart to heart
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In today’s pop scene, it is too much of a temptation for groups or solo artists to drop all pretences of creative progression if they happen to stumble upon a match-winning formula, be it Sufi rock, bhangra rap or filmi pop. And if, after a couple of albums, the formula starts running out of gas, the artist’s attempts to switch genres can often generate deadly results, career-wise. Ask Ali Haider. Tanvir Afridi, a familiar character on the bhangra block, having scored big in the past with his massive basant-flavoured smash, Guddi, has tried a similar adventure. The Punjabi-singing Pathan has shed his bhangra baggage in favour of more melodic fare. The result is Dil teray naam, a compilation of filmi tunes that not only has similarities with the Bollywood soundtrack machine, but also tries to take on the behemoth of Bollywood filmi-pop head on.Thumak thumak opens the record with a distinct A. R. Rahman flavour, cyber effects and all. Aslam Bhai it isn’t, and those who have heard Afridi’s past work will definitely be in for a surprise. It is true that the singer tried similar experiments on his last album Guddi II, but here, it’s a no holds barred overdose of melodic sweetness and other filmi bells and whistles. Dramatic, high-flying strings lead into the first antara of Kaho na kaho. The tune has a nostalgic feel to it and might take the listener back to the mid-’70s, when Amitabh ruled the cinematic roost without challenge, and when he wasn’t romancing heroines old enough to be his granddaughters.
The title track, a crisp duet, soon follows and is in the same, string-infused vein as the rest of the album. In fact, the string arrangements are undoubtedly the crowning glory of the record. Meray mehboob watan rounds off the first side and, surprisingly, it is quite refreshing, considering it’s a patriotic number and most artists make a hash of national songs. Ali Ali has a mystic, dhammal flavour to it, but could have done without the superfluous effects. Other tunes like Jan-e-Jan, another duet, have a laid back feel, with the familiar strings plugging away in the background.
If filmi music gets you off, Tanvir Afridi’s Dil teray naam might be worth a try, as it is a definite departure from what most Lollywood music directors are churning out these days.—QAM
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