Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan
Posted on: November 04, 2020 | 
Recording at A For Aleph Studios
Thanks to technology, we have a personal digital music library on our phone and are proficient in navigating the complex YouTube algorithms to find our favourite music. We grew up with heavily curated music studios such as Coke Studio, which understood the power of fusion, collaboration and rise of digital streaming platforms.
However, the current lockdown has compelled audiences around the world to seek live performances in the virtual space. With music venues indefinitely shut down, live streaming is rapidly becoming a substitute for large concert venues. Songs released online can reach millions of listeners and connect local bands and musicians to an infinite sea of audiences.
Music Production Studios, such as ‘The Dream Journey’, ‘A for Aleph’ and ‘Big Foot’ have created musical experiences that are as good as attending any concert in person, consistently delivering music to their followers for free. ‘Karachi Community Radio’ promotes electronic musicians, DJs and had even partnered with ‘A for Aleph’ to lend their digital infrastructure for a glitch-free music experience streamed on multiple digital platforms.
Sauve Festival Vol.2 Lineup
Stretching across continents, time zones, and countries, a live stream can now fit an entire festival’s lineup. This is a music revolution that will give us access to unique alternative virtual festivals such as the ‘South Asian Union Voltage Experiment’ (SAUVE), curated by Arooj Aftab in the USA. This fearless collective of passionate, ambitious and dedicated musicians are independently delivering live performances in these uncertain COVID times.
Produced by a close-knit team of Arif Ali Khan, Asif Hasnain, Musab Bin Noor and Mahera Omar, this studio aims to promote the best of Eastern Classical Music. Together, these individuals have recorded over 300 Sufi renditions by incredible local artists in the historical art form of Qawwali. The video uploads on their YouTube channel have live performances in an intimate Baithak setting with a handful of individuals. It feels immediate, bursting with moments of spontaneity that feel memorable and spiritual.
The Dream Journey Qawwals
The mystical recitation of ‘Bajuband Khul Khul Jaye’ in Raag Bhairavi by Ustad Fareed Ayaz & Ustad Abu Muhammad has garnered over 1,978,975 (Link: https://youtu.be/SY74M6P5C88 ) views online, and ‘Daikh Le Shakl Meri Kis ka Aayina Hun Mein’ by Maulvi Haider Hassan Vehranwale has over 1,321,936 (Link: https://youtu.be/fG9tnmnQ7SM ) views. They have been extremely important to the promotion of the historic Qawwali genre using an online space.
This interdisciplinary space has a state-of-the-art recording studio, jam hall and studio that welcomes artists from all over the country across disciplines and genres. Umair Dar, the founder of ‘A for Aleph’, is a force of nature, offering a full range of audio and visual production services, accommodation and support to arts and culture of Pakistan.
A for Aleph Umair Dar
The A for Aleph Live sessions already have nine hour-long episodes with a range of melodic soulful performances by Aziz Kazi, Irfan Ali Taj, Mirage The Band, Ahsen Bari, Surkhwaab, Ali Akbar Razi, Hamza Akram Qawwal Brothers, Natasha Baig and Sketches. They released original songs like Qurb (Link: https://youtu.be/AujpoKrdX9g ) that is composed by Waqas Hussain and Anas Alam Khan. The other song, ‘Rivers’ (Link: https://youtu.be/wXWXf7uL6iU ) is an interpretative piece inspired by Allama Iqbal’s poetry, composed by Umair Dar & Ashhal Haider Khanoth. Both tracks feature Louis J. 'Gumby' Pinto on drums, and the songs have a mystical flow about them. Listening to them is like watching notations and rhythm unfold through the oscillating soundscapes.
Sohaib Lari & Hamad Khan founded ‘Bigfoot Music’ to create a studio stage for upcoming and emerging musicians. You can also see Lari playing bass and Khan on guitar in each performance. It features songs like the traditional ghazal, ‘Tera Chup Rehna’ by Zeeshan Ali, a love ballad by Abdullah Qureshi, and the catchy, upbeat ‘14 July’ by Taimoor Salauddin 'Mooroo'. Their roster of artists even includes traditional folk singers like Ahsan Ali, Ali Hassan and Latif Ali Khan with captivating performances. What is unique about them is that they offer the viewers a unique chance to be in the studio with their favourite artists.
Bigfoot Music Mooro
KCR is a futuristic, experimental and immersive multimedia broadcasting platform that has bring together artists from distant regions from around the world, to one streaming channel. Founded by Jahanzeb Khawaja and Daniyal Ahmed, the KCR community hosts unique events such as ‘Paanch Mixtape’, that pairs each song on their playlist with a visualizer artist who hosts a listening session in Karachi.
KCR's Jehanzeb (right) and Daniyal (left)
They collaborate with DJs, musicians, production houses, events, artists and organizations, slowly building an impressively inclusive community online. Their deep understanding of visualization as an art form, allows them to translate sound and music into animation and motion. Their program includes underground electronic music and time-based digital art. Truly ahead of its time, KCR embodies a global approach to music distribution and promotion.
During a time where we cannot gather together in large stadiums, virtual festivals like the ‘South Asian Union Voltage Experiment’ curated by Arooj Aftab can provide a great release. Volume 2 of SAUVE brought twenty artists from all over South Asia, twice as many as compared to Volume 1.
Arooj Aftab
The online festival was streamed and hosted through a USA-based music venue’s YouTube channel, showcasing new-age experimental electronic, modular, synthwave, and dream-scape music. The Pakistani artists included Natasha Noorani, Talal Qureshi, SlowSpin and Aftab herself as part of the lineup. The festival was three hours and fifteen-minutes long, stretched over various countries and time zones. The audience could join in at any time, and even got the opportunity to visit the various production desks, studios and locations with the artists. With their unique stage, SAUVE set up an intriguing and explorative way to listen to music in the technological age.
The potential of virtual concerts, and events is being realised, now that it is becoming the new normal. Staying at home is currently the safest option, and artists are creating digital spaces that invite audiences to participate in their creative process and music production. In addition to providing some much needed entertainment, these digital platforms are also very important to promote the arts and culture community of Pakistan on a wider scale than ever before.
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