Though television and cinema and those involved with it often dominate headlines, the music scene in Pakistan, a combination of indie acts, folk/classical legends and mainstream superstars, is constantly taking the industry forward by touring, collaborating and most of all, innovating.
Mekaal Hasan Band crew – Muhammad Ahsan, Mekaal Hasan, Sharmistha Chatterjee, and Ibrahim Akram – are giving the world a taste of their genius with multiple shows across Canada and the USA.
MusicMix
From the Mekaal Hasan Band touring Canada and the USA to Usman Riaz’s The Glassworker, here’s a quick look at artists who continue to push the envelope.
Though television and cinema and those involved with it often dominate headlines, the music scene in Pakistan, a combination of indie acts, folk/classical legends and mainstream superstars, is constantly taking the industry forward by touring, collaborating and most of all, innovating.
So here’s a quick look at what caught our eye…
Our story begins with one of Pakistan’s best bands, the Mekaal Hasan Band (a transformative group that blends both tradition and modernity with their own unique style) who are having quite a summer. Between the months of May to July, the band has been traveling, touring North America and Canada. Their journey began towards the end of the month of May as they headed off to Toronto and were joined onstage by Haniya Aslam. The singer-songwriter/music composer currently resides in Toronto and you can hear her background score magic in Mehreen Jabbar’s upcoming film, Dobara Phir Se.
Usman Riaz joined master cellist Joshua Roman during a performance at Ted Summit 2016 in Banff, Canada and also showcased the work of the studio he has founded, Mano Animation Studio.
Back to MHB, the band moved on to other locations across Canada and the USA. Having played shows in cities like Houston, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, they will play their final show of the tour in Boston on July 30. What’s important to remember is that this South Asian band, intense and enigmatic, had the audience on their feet and earned standing ovation at shows, which is remarkable and a sure-shot sign that MHB is an act that should be witnessed live as many times as possible.
Sonic bliss: Having bagged their first Lux Style Award nomination this year for their monumental hit, ‘Tamasha’, this fourman unit is planning to release its own version of the Game of Thrones theme. We can hardly wait.
Moving on to another original voice, the 25-year-old prodigy that is Usman Riaz, is currently doing great things in not just Pakistan but beyond. Having presented a showcase on both his upcoming, animated film, The Glassworker and the studio behind it - Mano Animation Studio, which has been founded by Riaz and consists of other like-minded individuals from Pakistan and abroad – to the press as well as those interested in Karachi earlier this summer, Riaz took off for Ted Summit 2016 in Banff, Canada where he showcased the work of Mano Animation Studio and joined master cellist Joshua Roman for a performance.
In the coming days ahead, Riaz is heading to a Ted event in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where most of the Mano Animation team will also be present as they debut new footage to a curious audience. Riaz’s Mano Animation Studio will also be auditioning interested voice actors for The Glasskworker. The event is scheduled to take place on July 30 at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in Karachi from 2:00 pm onwards. The only criteria for applying is passion for acting and the ability to speak in Urdu.
Several other artists from music are also shaking things up. Among them is Farhan Saeed, whose star has risen dramatically since leaving Jal behind. The singer-songwriter, currently in the spotlight thanks to a propulsive TV serial called Udaari is back with a new serial and a new soundtrack attached to it. Though the tune is not exactly groundbreaking, it does play to Saeed’s strengths.
This brings us to another really fine music act from home, Khumariyaan who have announced that they are doing their own version of the Game of Thrones theme. Collaborating with Sarmad Ghafoor, the band is hoping to generate buzz for its upcoming album through this track. Currently nominated for a Lux Style Award in the category of Song of the Year for the track, ‘Tamasha’, this four-man unit has never disappointed fans and has gotten better with every track. So watch out.
