Slow Spin - nightfall's reverie

It happens ever so often that translating aural stimulus into words seems like a rather futile or strenuous task, primarily because of the constraints inherent within language itself. The subjectivity of the translating medium is contentious as well, and cannot be disregarded. However, if we are to believe in ‘objective’/universal human categories such as introspection, memory, nostalgia, emotion and expression, however vaguely defined, we might find traces of them resonating in creative works produced by others. The correlation established thus might be framed in different ways by different agents, but it is still something that is felt. As an ode to this vicarious revelry, whenever I listen to Slow Spin’s ‘nighfall’s reverie’, I do feel the tunes embracing the aforementioned categories with a yearning seldom heard. The whole enterprise is steeped with it; from the reverb laden vocals to the mellow acoustic picking; from the sparse field recordings interspersed within to the minimal trinket-based soundscapes. It’s a marriage between an earthy folk aesthetic and ambience, and works well most of the time.

The creator seems to exist in a self-created microcosm, and the little snippets that constitute 'nightfall's reverie' weave into one another in an episodic fashion, reminiscent of sporadic epiphanies or paint strokes that are visceral yet contemplative. At times, Slow Spin's flirtation with psychedelia leads to the dissolution of conventional structures, and gives us a glimpse into a state of being that might be schizophrenic, heightened, highly receptive and aware in ways that transcend the norm. (The reference to schizophrenia is merely metaphorical, of course). You can download the EP from mooshymoo.com, or stream it on soundcloud. (The Podhajsky-esque cover art is done by Samya Arif, and is also something that needs to be appreciated in its own right).

Favourites: 'call too', 'pace', 'aslant'.

Imran Sumbal - Lonesome End

Developments in the peripheries. Here's a tune called 'Lonesome End', and it's by Imran Sumbal, who's from Lahore. The tune starts off with Carpathian keys that might have you believe that you're somewhere in Guitar-Pro's midi-tinged world. However, the guitars quickly come in and assert their dominant role a la Faraz Anwar in his Dusk years. The second part of the tune features a solo over an Opeth-y chord progression. Whereas one can roughly see where Sumbal is coming from musically, he manages to bring in something unique into the composition, thereby making it his own.

Poor Rich Boy - Zardarazir

I probably wouldn't know where to start. Writing about Poor Rich Boy's music is no easy task, and I find myself doing so with utmost discretion. I cannot make any positive statements, lest I fall into the depths of pigeon-holing. I wouldn't want to deconstruct the lyrics and try to relate them to a certain event, feeling or emotion. 'Zardarazir' might, or might not have political connotations attached, but I'd prefer to present it as a divorced entity. If the earlier, Shehzad Noor-centric Poor Rich Boy was more manic, this Umer Khan inspired facade is triumphant in its use of minimal vocal harmony. The production is earthy, and leaves plenty of room for the acoustic instruments to find their respective places. This is poetry, and it is presented in mixed media.

Uncle Bunkle Jingle Shop - They Talk So Loud

Ingmar Bergman's Through a Glass Darkly was released in 1961, and remains to this day a bold document depicting a young woman's descent into schizophrenia. The film ends with a conversation between the woman's father and her brother Minus, and a part of it goes something like this:

Minus:      I’m scared Papa. When I sat holding Karen in the old wreck, reality burst open.  Do you understand what I mean?

Father:    Yes, I understand

Minus:    Reality burst open and I tumbled out. It’s like a dream. Anything can happen

Papa, anything.

Father:   I know

Minus:    I can’t live in this new world Papa

The notion of 'reality bursting open' isn't a new one, and has been captured in an interesting manner by Karachi's 'Uncle Bunkle Jingle Shop' in this tune. A Thom Yorke-esue angst ridden plea in an increasingly dissociative, alienating milieu. That's exactly what I hear whenever I listen to this tune. Maybe, i'm just over-analyzing things. The guitars emphasize one motif repeatedly, until it becomes hypnotic. The crescendo at the 3.14 mark is achieved with the help of the aforementioned haunting vocals coupled with a sample depicting young, oblivious children frolicking about in an undefined space. Reality might burst open at any given point, and catch them unawares.

Orangenoise - The Morning After

Coming from the local shoegaze stalwarts 'Orangenoise', this infectious tune was released about a year ago. Slightly different from their more recent tunes, it features a plethora of heavily panned sonic matter floating around a juicy bassline that melts out of the speakers. That's the only word I can use to describe. It's fluid. Viscous. The reverberating-space invader percussions help to stretch out the tune along its bass-centric structure.

Abeer Sheikh and the Wonderband - Stray

Abeer Sheikh and his wonderband. Bringing indie/electronic music to a greater consciousness since its inception. A nuclear center around which various collaborative artists revolve, Abeer Sheikh manages to impress in this offering. 'Stray' features delectably labyrinthine lyrics, periodically interspersed with a haunting vocal harmony. The constant flat thudding of the snare somehow manages not to appear superfluous, and gels in the tune nicely till its culmination in an acoustic riff showdown. One can even hear the ukulele being strummed to give the rhythm section a nice foundation.

Exhibit A - an excerpt from the lyrics: 

He seems vicious, delirious, self destructively serious 

He's vindictive, no common sense, no shame nor pride just negligence 

Good guy Abeer Sheikh. He's met ones like you before, just so that you know.