When a band introduce themselves as being from Karachi in Pakistan, and then follow that up by saying they are “part of a crazy DIY scene which is developing” then I have to confess my intrigue and my total and utter ignorance snap into instant stalemate for control of my mental faculties because… well, Karachi? A crazy DIY scene?
Well fuck it, if you say so – I certainly wouldn’t know anyway. But I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like being an underground pop musician in Karachi, never mind what kind of music might emerge from such a scene.
In this particular case, the answer to that question is really rather excellent psychy, proggy post-rock. I can be fickle with this kind of music, wary of either grandiose pretension or ostentatious noodling, but this is played with a pace and lightness of touch which puts those fears to bed pretty much instantly.
And actually, considering Scotland is something of a hotbed of this kind of thing, these lads knock seven shades of shit out of most local bands I’ve heard attempt this stuff. There is great variety here as well, as the band use electronics, more orchestral sounds here and there, and on occasion what I assume are Pakistani folk elements to create an album which, for all its exotic provenance, sounds very much at home in amongst the sounds I hear around myself hereabouts.
It raises interesting questions, I suppose, given the relative cultural isolation certain religiously motivated elements in Pakistan are attempting to encourage, that this music seems so steeped in what I would (possibly quite ignorantly, I admit) call Western pop music. And yet the presence of what I am guessing are local folk elements, rare as they are in this album, at least hints at some very interesting mixtures of influences going on in amongst this DIY scene in Karachi which the band mentioned in their email.
As a largely instrumental album, you have to be careful not to get repetitive or boring with music like this, but it isn’t overly long, which I feel is a wise decision. And again, the relatively sharp pace of it, as well as the reasonable variety of arrangements keep the album feeling light on its toes. Around two-thirds of the way through, I will confess I think it gets bogged down just a little, but on the whole this is a really enjoyable listen and a very welcome surprise.
