Andholan

Mekaal Hasan is the first Pakistani to study at Boston’s Berklee Music School. He fuses the musical influences of South Asia with rock & the result is an interesting album called “Andholan,” which means “Revolution.” Sometimes the label “sufi rock” is used to describe his music. Sharmishta Chatterjee is the vocalist featured in this album and she appears on all the tracks.

If you like Indian classical music fused with electric guitar/flute and rock then you will enjoy listening to this album

**1. Ghunghat means veil, and I guess this is an apt title for an album that lifts the veil on South Asian music scene & show the fusion of traditional music with rock. This track reflects those influences.
2. The soothing & beautiful sounds of bansuri or the bamboo flute draws you in to this track. It alternates between being a soft & melodious track to a rock track esp when you hear the loud, electric guitar riffs.
3. Chatterji’s is a fantastic singer, but I found the electric guitar a bit distracting.
**4. This track has more of a Punjabi influence & it works. Love the flute.
**5. This is an interesting track where the mix of traditional and rock works.
6. Chatterji’s voice draws you into this fusion track,where again the rock & traditional music from South Asia works.
***7. Starts slow & pick up steam. Chatterji is brilliant. The electric guitar does not overpower like it does in some tracks.
***8. Starts of in a soft way, almost like a ghazal with just a piano for accompaniment in the start & is joined by flute & percussion. Flautist Muhammad Ahsan Papu is delightful.

Kamla August 2015