Album: Gunkali****
Artist: Kaavish
Since the turn of the year, and incidentally the turn of the decade, we have seen many artists release their albums in quick succession. Either someone at their record labels believed 2012 is truly the end of the world, and they need to get rid of their backlog, or someone is running short of spare cash somewhere.
A host of artists have been able to breathe a collective breath with the release of their respective albums which have struggled to see the light of day due to backlogs and and other complications. One such band is Kaavish, who have been preaching patience to all those who were promised a mature and melodic record. That promise materialized on the January 15, in the form of an album release. Ever since, Jaffer Zaidi and Maaz Maudood haven't looked back.
Gunkali, the band's debut album, sits atop the local charts as one of two Fire Records' releases in the top three (Mauj's Now In Technicolor being the other in third place). The poesy and prose that is evident throughout the album truly shows that there is more to them than what their earlier videos had proposed.
The name of the album itself symbolizes a certain cultured element that the duo, Maaz and Jaffer, try to convey through the tracks laid out on the record. Gunkali is the name of a raag which represents an "Aurora, the break of dawn, the first light of day, the promise of hope renewed… the beginning of something new." Being Kaavish's debut, it is precisely that.
From the moment the first track begins till the last track ends, it is easy to see the emphasis of instrumentals in most songs. Many will agree that Jaffer is second to none on the keyboard and/or the piano, and Maaz's rhythm rarely sounds misplaced. Apart from the core duo however, the presence of an assortment of musicians on their tracks lends a warmer, more collaborative appeal to the album. Opting for live instrumentation is another aspect that will catch the attention of music aficionados.
The violin of Javed Iqbal is justly revelatory through the course of the album, barring two songs. The wails of the violin never become over-bearing and instead offer a reflective tone to the tracks while remaining shy and sensible, yet confident at the same time. Similarly the sparingly used flute, on three of their tracks, adds a folkish feel that will speak to those who have an affinity for the instrument. Sadly though, it is a veiled version of the flute which leaves an appetite for more.
Another aspect that gets somewhat suppressed is the bass of Khalid Hasan on all tracks but one, 'Piya Dekho Na', where Shahi Hasan steps in. The bass is warm and keeps the sound of the album intact but it seems that it is blanketed and its inclusion is simply to support the drums of John Louis Pinto, AKA Gumby.
However, one craving that does get nourished, amply at that, is the inclusion of the guitar, whether in the form of an electric, steel or nylon stringed guitars or the beautiful sitar, by Nafees Ahmed, on 'Piya Dekho Na'. The strings sound even more appealing when we see the names attached to the various tracks. There are Omran Shafique's funky riffs on the first track 'Chand Taaray', Aamir Zaki's elegant, bodacious, yet transient solo on 'Dil Main Meray' and Shallum Xavier's gentle lead for the mellow track 'Sunn Zaraa'.
The revamped version of 'Bachpan' also offers a delight for string instrumentals when multi-talented musician, Abbas Premjee steps in on the harmonic nylon string guitar. Thrown into the mix is the string section of Islaamuddin sahib and crew, which gives 'Bachpan' another dimension.
The album also contains a bolt from the blue for a few on the eighth track of the album, 'Dekho'. While the guitar is mainly Maaz's forte, in this track Jaffer and Gumby, whose thrashing beats are evident throughout Gunkali, both pick up the stringed instrument to give the song a younger, fresher feel. Whilst listening to the track it almost sounds as if they jammed it out one fine day, which is stirring for any musician and avid listener.
Meanwhile, the piano, a resurgent instrument which was almost forgotten at one time, is done more than justice by Jaffer right through the record. And while that is expected of one of the leading men in that field, it is his compositional skills that really astonish the listener.
Compact, articulate and melodic are just three words that can describe his skills as a composer, skills that will only get better (considering this is his first album). Having Faisal Rafi - who co-produced Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's Charkha and engineered some tunes on Strings' Koi Aanay Wala Hai - and Shahi Hasan cleaning things up, it is hard to go wrong. However the producer should have tried harder to lend diversity within the tracks.
While Jaffer may have the maturity facet down pat in his vocals, there needs to be a variation. Despite his best efforts, the vocals tend to sound similar on every track. A disparity is sometimes needed and with a good heavy voice like Jaffer's he will need to find a way to test his vocal range, an expertise that he will surely acquire in the years to come.
The mellowness may also stem from the fact that Anwar Maqsood, who wrote 'Chaltay Rahain' and 'Sunn Zaraa', and Nayara Noor who wrote and composed 'Piya Dekho Na', assisted the duo. As a result the one thing that is manifest in the album is the natural influence and inclusion of the constant classical element of Nayarra Noor being filtered out through Kaavish, albeit in a fresh approach.
By and large though, the album is marked with the sound of a band that seems beyond their years. Over time the evolution of their sound will help incorporate the classical component more effortlessly. For a debut effort the band have taken ahold of any avid listener of classical music and given them fresh melodies. At present, Gunkali deserves its place on top of the charts for a blend of effort, great instrumentals, mature and reflective poetry, and "a different musical perspective."
Definitely worth a listen, especially for those who had put Kaavish off as a one-dimensional band. Great composition and instrumentals coupled with fine and proven poetry gives Gunkali a solid B+ in my grade books.
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